Lovin' the Son-shine

Praises

2011-03-28T10:53:00.001-05:00

I saw this and knew I had to make one.

I love music. Alot alot alot alot.
There is rarely anytime that I don’t have music of some sort playing.
For Lent this year, I gave up secular music, and it’s been so refreshing.
I love the way it has turned my thoughts and heart towards the Lord constantly throughout the day.

For me, worship is not just a song (though it can be sung.)
Worship is a lifestyle.
Worship :: Life.
Our lives are a manifestation of what we think of our great God.
Our lives must be worship of the Creator.

This was such a fun creation to make.
Loved going through all my favorite praise songs to find some favorite lyrics to add to this little poster.

Hope you have a happy week!
♥ michelle

Simply fun

2011-03-13T20:35:00.001-05:00

I found this fun post from Hometown Girl.
Thought I would be a copy cat. =)

What is you favorite word?
JOY

What is your least favorite word?
The F word. It’s not nice at all!

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Creatively:: blogs, nature, photographs, Hob Lob
Spiritually:: The Word, Church, the wilderness, great intimate conversations, CS Lewis
Emotionally:: Colorado, family and friends, happy thoughts and quotes

What turns you off?
traffic, meanness, complaining, cold weather w/ no skiing, suffering

What sound or noise do you love?
Creeks bubbling, worship, laughter, children playing

What sound or noise do you hate?
Honking, loud dirty music

What is your favorite thing to say when you get mad?
Well, crap.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Director of a clinic, cupcake baker, interior designer, ice cream taste-tester =)

What profession would you not like to do?
Chemist, trash man, cop

If Heaven exists (I believe that it does), what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Well done my good and faithful servant. Welcome Home! =)

This was fun!
Hope you have a blessed week!

Ten on the 10th [but posted on the 11th]

2011-03-11T21:56:00.000-06:00

I decided I would join in the fun over at A Bit of Sunshine, and participate in Ten on 10:

Fun socks! Love those cute little whales! You can't help but have a great day w/ cuties like these on your feeties! =)

Free car wash! Score!

Happy fabric. These colors just make me want to dance bc spring is HERE!

My bi-monthly run to Heaven...err I mean, Chick-fil-a. B/c let's face it, if my stomach had it's way, I'd totally be there every.single.day. {Thank goodness for the saving grace of a Budget!}

Made my own carpet powder!!!!

Oh the happiness that is towel day! Love me a nice snuggly towel when I get outta the shower! =D

Oops! Washed the ol' lens cap.

Mid afternoon snack. Yummy fruit: reason #378 that I LOOOOOOOVE springtime!

Preparing for Bible study w/ Beth. Love that girl, and the humility and grace God gives through vulnerability with good friends. We were put here to learn and love and share, and I'm so blessed to get to do it each week with sweet Beth.

Baked ziti. Yummy for the tummy.

This little guy made clean-up at Beth's way fun! I think he needs a name. Something catchy like Jenkins or Barnaby.

Well, there ya have it. This was way fun! I just might have to do it again in April. =)

Blessings for your weekend!

<3 Michelle

the one about paper cuts

2011-02-24T23:14:00.000-06:00

Ouchie.

Today, I got a paper cut from straw paper!!!!
A drinking straw!

That's nuts.
I didn't even know that was possible.

The end to the most pointless post ever.

2010::Satisfied

2011-02-15T07:03:00.004-06:00

If you know me, then you know that I am a Texan through and through. And thus, I am a lover of all things country music. My time in Lubbock has been such a time of trial; God has really used this time to stretch me, to think about loneliness in a different way, to rely on Him.

One of the graces that He has brought to sustain me is this delightful little country station known as “God’s Country.” It’s kinda like KLOVE in the sense that it’s a national Christian station operated through the support of listeners. And can I just tell you how wonderful it is? There’s nothing like Carrie Underwood’s version of “How Great Thou Art” to turn my heart back to the majesty of our Great God. And when I need a little pick-me-up, God sends a little “Keep on the Sunny Side” to remind me of the power of joy.

Well there’s a song on there by Jewel called “Satisfied.” It’s such a beautiful message about the power of Love. Here is the video, so listen to it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArAlk3yf5hI&feature=player_embedded

Some lyrics that stand out to me:
“So many things to do, so little love gets done.”
“If we want love, it’s not that tough, start by givin’ it first.”
“We were born. to. love.”

Gosh, I just love it! (Pun intended!) =D

But here’s the thing, this song speaks so deeply to me b/c it’s one of my hardest struggles: loving unconditionally. I don’t think it’s any coincidence that the Greatest Commandment is also one of the hardest to live out (Matt. 22:37-8, Mark 12:30-1, Luke 10:27, John 13:34-5).

So you’re probably wondering, why all this talk about love? Valentine’s Day was yesterday! Well, here’s why.

Instead of New Year’s Resolutions, every year, I pick a Bible verse to be my “verse of the year”. Well, in 2010, the Holy Spirit pointed my heart to 1 Cor. 16:14…”you’re every act should be done with LOVE.”
Wow. If I had only known the trials I would face this past year trying to live out that verse. Guess the HG wanted to teach me to put my money where my mouth is, if you will. Today, I was reflecting on the past year, and I find myself reveling in the way God stretches us. For me, He taught me more about my imperfections and desperate need for my Savior through a simple verse that could be missed in the blink of an eye. In so many ways, I’m so very thankful that 2010 is done and gone. It was a hard, challenging year, but one that did teach me about the importance of love.

St. John Vianney once said, “This is the glorious duty of man: that your pray and that you love.”

Simple.
Profound.
Absolutely challenging.

So as we continue through this year on this beautiful Journey, I’m renewed with anticipation. I love beginnings. They remind me that He makes all things new again. A new year, to be better lovers of the Greatest Love of All.

I pray that 2011 is full of blessings, those known and unknown, and that our Jesus teaches us to love more fully, more deeply, more genuinely. B/c loneliness, pain, and sorrow may stir us up, but great friends, LOVE never fails.

Second Best Thing to Come Out of the Super Bowl

2011-02-12T13:18:00.000-06:00

the first being that the STINKIN' STEELERS LOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Funny story:
I was texting a good friend throughout the game, and at one point in time I texted:
"Big Ben has too much time!!!"
To which he pointed out my wittiness w/out even trying.

Note to self:

Have a blessed week!

2011-01-19T20:46:00.001-06:00

Bushels of Blessings to YOU in 2011!!!

Goin' to the chapel

2010-10-11T21:39:00.004-05:00

September, where did you go?!?!

School is crazy busy.
Life is insanely busy.
But God is ridiculously good.

I was blessed to see these two beautiful people join hearts and souls in Holy Matrimony this past weekend.

Definitely one of the funnest weddings ever!
Way to go Beth and Taylor! Ya'll put on a great party!
Can't wait to go through the rest of the pics and share them on this ol' blog.
There are some pretty hilarious comments and stories that I want to capture forever.
Hopefully I will get to it in the next few days.

Congrats, Beth and Taylor!!!
Can't wait to see how the Lord blesses your marriage!
You two were made for each other...Buffalo Wild Wings and all!!!

The Boat Post

2010-08-26T10:52:00.001-05:00

Last week, I went to Waco to complete my Level 1 Fieldwork at Scott & White Hospital. It was such a wonderful time...I learned so much from the remarkable therapists there. I was in the pediatric and NICU settings, and I LOVED it!

I decided to kick off the week by going waterskiing w/ some of my very favorite people on Sunday afternoon! It was so great to be out on the Brazos River, soakin' up the Texas sun, and laughing and loving w/ three of the greatest souls I know.

Patrick is relatively new to skiing, but he did GREAT! I even managed to capture a grin in this picture!

Then there's Don.

Don is an old pro. No that was a jibe at his age. =) He has been waterskiing for 30 years!

Now for Brandon:

I was privileged to get to help teach Brandon how to ski a couple years ago. Now he's a pro, and the student has become the teacher.

And finally,

There's me. Thanks to Don's expert coaching, I was able to manage getting up on the slalom (w/out having to kick a ski.) Definitely my new favorite thing!

And just for fun:

I'm blessed with the greatest friends! There are few things I like better than a sunny day, great friends, and boating. Throw in some Rocky Mountains, and life doesn't get better!

24 hours... or something like that

2010-06-18T21:01:00.000-05:00

My dad joined the ranks of the mountain biking maniacs about 3 years ago and hasn't looked back. Probably b/c looking back means falling off cliffs or crashing into cactus plants. But anyway, he convinced me that I would love it, so for my birthday last year, he bought me a brand spankin' new shiny Specialized mountain bike. It's a hard tail, w/ a Shram derailer, no disc brakes (sadly), bright blue, 19 inch frame, bike of wonders.

Wowee. Mountain biking is HARD. And INTENSE. And some of those crazies are truly maniacs on wheels, but it's such a rush and ton of fun. And I wished I didn't live 2 hours away from home, so that I could join good ol' Papa John (aka my daddy-o) for more biking excursions.

But he did manage to con me into joining him and some of his biking buds for the 4th annual 24 Hours In The Canyon biking event. Yep, you heard right...biking for 24 hours. Ok, so it's not quite that intense unless you are competive.

Here's what went down:

Friday June 4th

Dad & I packed up enough supplies & clothing for a month...ok, a bit of an exaggeration, but neverless, we had PLENTY of stock. We loaded up the good ol' pop trailer and zoomed down into the beauty that is Palo Duro Canyon.

Gorgeous, huh!

We set up camp, complete with Arizona misters (heaven sent when it was 116 degrees the next day), our own personal shade tree, and all of the mosquitoes & horse flies in the great state of Texas.

We enjoyed a delicious spaghetti supper for carb-loading with other biker crazees, took a short bike trip at dusk to prepare our muscles for the next day, and then turned in for a good night's sleep.

Saturday, June 5th - Go Day

We had a nice breakfast and lunch, and then it was Go Time! We headed to starting line, and when all the announcements had commenced, the countdown began. And we were off!

600+ bikers (both roadies and mountain bikers, competitive and non-comp) jumped onto skinny little bike seats in sweltering 115 degree Texas heat to ride for 24 hours.

So in reality, unless you are in the competitive devision, you don't really have to ride constantly for 24 hours. The event is designed so that at least one member of you team is on the trail throughout the time frame...but they aren't sticklers to the rule. The first year of the event, my dad road for 17 hours, 100 miles. He's crazy. I was just hoping to not break a bone. That would be success for me. =)

So 30 minutes into this crazy day, my legs began to shake, I stopped sweating, and my energy level plummeted. Yep, that's right. Started the event off with a good ol' case of heat exhaustion. Luckily I stopped before it resulted in heat stroke. They put me on ice, got some electrolyte water (nasty stuff) pumpin' in me, and I took a nice 5 hour break from the sun and the ride. It was a sad start to the event.

But I recovered, and at 5:30, we took off for one round-trip loop before supper. We ate, road back to camp to grab our head lamps & bike lights, and thus began the adventure of trail riding in the dark. It was one of the coolest things I've ever done. To be bouncing over foot & a half ride trails, with nothing but a head lamp and handlebar light guiding your way...well it was intense, adrenaline pumping, and best of all...COOL! That's right, temps dropped to the 80s, which felt like a cold front compared to the earlier weather, and we soared over those trails. It was fun, but the old guys that I was riding with (aka my dad & his friend Mark) couldn't handle the nighttime riding with their 50+ year old eyesight, so we called it a night and turned in.

The next day, Dad & I woke and finished the event with a couple loops of the trail. Total, I road about 35 miles. Not impressive by any means, but definitely longer than I have ever gone...so for me it was a personal best.

Oh, and I took a nasty spill that morning. I had the worst bruise on my booty that I have ever had in my entire life. And I played soccer...aka bruise-filled-intense sport. It was awful...in fact, it's still lingering & tender! But, no broken bones...so it was a success!

We had a great time. Love that my 52 year old dad can totally kick my tail on those trails. He's crazy, and fun, and the best dad a girl could ask for. Love our father-daughter adventures.

Plus, how can you not have fun in a place as beautiful as this:

Thank you, Lord, for the beauty you created for us!

Hope your summer is full of fun adventures too!

blessings!

♥ michelle

A List of Happies

2010-04-27T14:35:00.000-05:00

Some things I'm lovin' right now:

* Do you remember the days of Rainbow sandwich bread???
Well I have found a few recipes to try, but just looking at pictures of the goodness puts a happy smile on my face!

* I love this fun little reminder to be the very best me!

* And I was browsing through Good Housekeeping when I stumbled on this ad of happiness!

These mailboxes definitely scream "Michelle" =)

* And finally, I just cannot get enough of this awesome song!

"What are you waiting for? What do you have to lose?
Your insecurities try to alter you. You know you're made for more.
So don't be afraid to move.
Your faith is all it takes and you can walk on the water too!"

blessings!
♥ michelle

Laughter Mondays

2010-04-26T16:00:00.001-05:00

and then God created Saturn....

and He liked it,

so He put a ring on it!

hahaha!

I loved this joke when I first heard!

Happy Monday everyone!

Colorado shenanigans!

2010-04-22T22:08:00.001-05:00

During Spring Break, my mom and I hung out for 10 days in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of southwest Colorado. Ahhh, my beloved Rocky's are just soooo refreshing! We went skiing, thrift shopping (turns out the San Luis Valley has amazing thrift shops, who knew?), picture taking, deer chasing (see pics below), and other random activities. My best friend Britt, her boyfriend, and another friend of ours, Kristen, joined us on Thursday for some skiing and swimming adventures.

No, do not get your eyes checked.

I said swimming. I'll explain in a sec.

Once, again, I went to the mountains with several people, and I came back with more scenery and deer pics than anything else! =)

You'd think I hadn't seen deer before...

I like to call this one the

Three Musketdeers!

bu-dum-ching!

"Hey guys, let's jump over the fence! Some crazy lady is takin' pics of us!"

This one is called "Trend setter."

The deer randomly decided to come back across the fence.

Which gave me more picture taking ops!

How kind of them!

Perfect form!

The deer were kind enough to run right across the road in front of me.

So fun!

All the gorgeous girls hangin' out at the cabin.

Yes, we all have bachelors degrees.

Yes, we all are in grad school for higher education.

Can't you tell by looking at us?

So about that swimming story....

There's a hot springs just north of Alamosa, CO that has been turned into an awesome swimming pool. It is a Pollard family tradition to go swimming there when it is below freezing outside. It's a great way to relax after several days skiing!

Here is a pic of Britt doin' her thing!

Notice the MAJESTIC Sangre de Cristo mountain range in the back.

It's most def my favorite mountain range in the whole state!

Yeah, we're all jealous of her sweet hair.

Have a great weekend!

Laughter Mondays

2010-04-12T09:00:00.001-05:00

Read this very carefully...it can be slightly confusing.

What did the pirate light bulb salesman say to the obese woman walked in his store?

"Aye, sell you light?"

(cellulite)

Happy Monday!!!

Ridiculously Loved

2010-04-06T22:54:00.000-05:00

The first weekend in March, I had the delight of traveling to lovely Central TX to hang w/ my old "gang" from my youth ministry days at Baylor.

Members of our gang:

Don & Dolores: married for 25 years, no children, youth ministry volunteers for more than 10 yrs, full of Fun and Life!, the most giving people I have ever met, owners of a masion of a house that we loving refer to as the O'Toole Hotel (it is our unofficial gang headquarters)

Brandon: ahhh! Love this guy! 22 year old Aggie, youth ministry volunteer for 4 years, I've had the amazing privilege of witnessing God's amazing transformation of this awesome friend of mine, can't get enough of Scripture, downright hysterical, lover of all things marroon, drives my favorite Dodge, welder of legit crosses, really cool dude

Chuck: high ranking official in the United States Air Force but never comes across as arrogant or power-hungry, super charismatic...ppl just love him automatically, defender of our country especially in Afghanistan, my personal mentor, strongest Christian I know (and I know ALOT of amazing Christians), super faithful friend, has mad skillz on a snowboard, ridiculously filled with the Spirit

So that's the brief overview.

And it doesn't even do those delightful, wonderful people justice.

Without boring you with all the wild details of this laughter-packed weekend in wacky Waco, I just wanna share with you some general thoughts.

* God is so ridiculously good. I don't say that lightly. This beautiful, perfect weekend with my dearest friends lifted my spirits when I wasn't even aware they needed lifting. God provided without me even asking! I love His constant pursuit of me, His inability to let me go without Love, peace, and joy.

* I have the best friends ever. I mean seriously. Chuck came into town to give a talk at Aggie Awakening (a retreat for college kiddos). After his awesome talk on discernment, people came up to ME and told me how much they envied me b/c they wanted to be friends with this guy in real life! I mean, he's a seriously cool lover of Jesus! And all of the gang is the same way!

* I always have said that I must be the most loved person in the world. Between my amazing family and incredible friendships, I am overwhelmed with blessings. My cup most definitely overflows!

So there you have it. One weekend recap down, about a gazillion more to go!

How has God blessed YOU lately? In what ways are you celebrating His goodness?

Laughter Mondays

2010-04-05T14:59:00.000-05:00

After a brief interlude, Laughter Mondays has returned!!!! Yay!!!!

Inspired by Easter:

How do we know carrots are good for your eyes?

B/c you never see rabbits wearing glasses!

groan! =)

Hoppy Easter Monday!

♥ michelle

Robbed

2010-04-02T08:38:00.000-05:00

It has been a hectic couple of weeks, and so on this Good Friday, I was excited to get to sleep in...

And then my Papa John called me to tell me that my car (which was at my parents' house) had been broken into last night.

WHAT?!?!

We live out in the country, in a quiet neighborhood, with kids and dogs running all over the place. That's just crazy!

It really is not the end of the world. The biggest thing the thief took was over 300 cds. I had a HUGE case of cds...which is fine...they can have 'em. But the sad thing is I also was carrying my best friend's GINORMOUS case of cds as well. Sigh.

It's just stuff.

However, on this Friday, this day of remembrance, I cannot help but think about our Jesus. How He was stripped of His clothes, beaten, robbed of His humanity, nailed to a Cross. They (we) took everything He had, His pride, His integrity, the very clothes off His back, His Life. He was mocked, scorned, laughed at. Few along the way showed any signs of compassion. And then He was nailed to a tree.

And after all of that, we added to His burden by laying our sins on His back as He hung on that Cross.

He did it willingly. This Man of Sorrows.

Puts into perspective the loss of a few cds, huh?

I pray that on this most somber of all days, you are able to set your heart on the Crucifixion our Lord.

This beautiful day. The day that True Love died.

Randoms

2010-03-30T23:11:00.000-05:00

List of randoms:

Grad students do NOT rebound from lack of sleep like college kids do. I speak from experience.
Baylor Men's basketball rocks my world! Elite Eight? Are you KIDDING me??? This was the team that nation-wide coaches picked to finish TENTH in the Big 12. Yay Bears...it was an epic run!
If men's basketball rocks my world, then the Baylor Women provide the beat! Final Four baby!!!! Sic 'em, Bears! What an amazing season this has been! Next up, UConn...it's going to be a fun one!
Have you heard the new Amy Grant song? Better Than A Hallelujah. Simply beautiful.
And you must check out Forgiven by Sanctus Real. "When I don't measure up to much in this life, I know I'm a treasure in the arms of Christ." Amen.
Oh, and these people bring so much joy to my life, I'm perpetually Sonburned!

brandon, brian, julie, chuck, me

blessings, my friends!
♥ michelle

Busy Bee

2010-03-25T00:18:00.000-05:00

AHHH!!!!

I have been so ridiculously busy this semester!
I have not been home, at my apartment in Lubbock, on a single weekend in a month and a half!

It started Valentine's Weekend, when I went to Ruidoso, NM for the ski trip.

And then I went to my hometown the next two weekends for dentist/doctor's appointments and my bestie's birthday.

Then the first weekend in March, I travelled to wacky Waco and College Station for a retreat. (I will have a separate post on the amazingness that was this weekend. God is so good.)

Next there was 10 days of Spring Break in Colorado (spanning two weekends).

Tomorrow I will bee heading back to Waco to help out w/ a retreat at the best university in America. Yay Baylor! (Expect a post on this retreat weekend as well as the fact that my Mens AND Womens Baylor Bears are in the Sweet 16!!!!!)

Then, next weekend is Easter! Amen! Alleluia! I will be treckin' back up to Amarillo for the celebration of the best day in history. Thank you Jesus!

And finally, FINALLY, after a 2 month hiatus, I will bee sleeping in and relaxing in my very own apartment the weekend of April 9th. So excited.

This insane schedule, combined with school, volunteer, and social priorities, is the reason my live is all a-buzz right now, and thus, no blogging. But no worries, I will bee back soon!

"This life's gonna be a good life!"

2010-03-19T09:00:00.003-05:00

get a load of this goodness:

go ahead.
watch it again.
you know you want.

doesn't it just get you giddy for our Jesus!
i laugh every.time. i see it.
it just makes me so happy.

deliriously cheery.
love. this. life.

Bookworm

2010-03-17T00:09:00.001-05:00

I love to read.
Anything and everything, it just makes me happy.
Serious, funny, fiction, non-fiction, biography, spiritual, politics.
You name it, I read it.
Well, except Sci-fi. But that's a post entirely for itself.

In late February, I went home to Amarillo, and my momma had a book waiting for me on my nightstand.
She's awesome like that.

It was The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks.

Now, I'm not always a huge fan of Mr. Sparks.
I loved A Bend In The Road...but not so much The Notebook.
A Walk to Remember was so-so.
I just don't always like his style...something to do with some literary term like character development but I'm not going to pursue that at this time of night.

So ANYWAY, I picked up the book...
...and couldnt. put. it. down.

It's not that it was so rivetting.
Or thought-provoking.
And I didn't like the main character AT ALL at first.

But I hadn't read a fiction book in a LONG time.
And it was just a nice break from the reality of grad school.
Plus, it was a sweet book with a good message.

Totally predictable...but once you've read many of Sparks' books, you began to see this trend.

Oh, and it made me cry.
And I NEVER cry in books or movies. Ever.
{Ok, I cried in Armagedon b/c I'm a daddy's girl and Simon Birch b/c you have to be heartless not to tear up in that movie. Oh, and The Passion...but that totally doesn't count.}

So there you have it.
If you like a cute little fiction story,
Or if you're a Nicholas Sparks fan,
I would definitely recommend this book.

And that is that.

Enough with all this trivial nonsense, back to reading about upper extremity rehabilitation...Thrilling. Be jealous.

**Ha! So I just re-read this post and realized how boring it is. And pretty much the lamest book review ever. Eh, such is life. Bless your heart if you made it through it!

Laughter Mondays

2010-03-15T08:00:00.002-05:00

No corny joke today.

Just one HILARIOUS youth ministry story:

A youth minister friend of mine took a bunch of teens skiing one time.
The very first run of the day, he took a group to the top of the mountain.
There was a sweet girl w/ them, let's call her Grace, who, bless her heart, was not always the brightest crayon in the box, if you know what I mean. Just as they got off the lift at the top of the mountain, she decided that she had to use the bathroom. Period. There was no holding it.

So being the accomodating youth minister he was, Gordy instructed all the teens to gather in a circle around this little gal while she did her business.

Only one problem.

Grace didn't take off her skis. And as she bent to squat to do her business, the skis were pointed straight down the mountain.

So as you could probably guess, gravity did it's thing, and she took off, straight down the slopes w/ her ski bibs around her ankles and her booty shinin' bright for all the world to see.

You can just imagine the shock of Gordy and the rest of the teens as they witnessed the craziness. It was a site to behold, that's for sure.

Well, to make a bad situation worse, the poor girl was somewhat inexperienced at skiing, and didn't know how to stop proficiently. So part way down the mountain she decided to bail.

Right into a tree. ouch.

Grace (fitting name, don't cha think?) ended up breaking BOTH her ankles. No bueno.

So needless to say, she was in alot of pain, and super embarassed. But thankfully, the ski patrol was a Johnny-on-the-spot, and rescued her quickly from her misery.

But it doesn't end there.
We're just gettin' to the good part!

You see, just as the ambulance was fixin' to leave to take Miss Grace to the hospital, they got a call to wait. Apparently, another injured skier was on the way down the mountain.

Several minutes later, the ski patrol showed up with a man who was walking with both hands out in front of him in splints.

As soon as everyone got situated and the ambulance took off for the hospital, Gordy, who was accompanying Grace, asked the gentleman what happened.

He said, "You're not gonna believe this, but I was sitting on the ski lift, when out of the corner of my eye, I see this young girl skiing down the mountain with her pants around her ankles! As I turned to watch the "full moon" pass by, I lost track of what I was doing, and fell straight out of the ski lift and broke both my arms catching myself!"

Yep.
True story.

Oh my goodness!
Can you imagine?!?!

Everytime I tell this, I get the most hysterical pictures in my head of all these events occurring.
Poor Grace.
But what a story, huh?!

I hope your Monday is exciting! But just don't go around mooning people or falling outta ski lifts, k?

Gimme a break, gimme a break...

2010-03-12T18:00:00.001-06:00

...break me off a piece of that Kit. Kat. Bar.

It's officially SPRING BREAK!
Yayee!

So naturally, I'm going to do a completely "spring" thing and go to a snowy winter wonderland.
Typical.

I'm off to Colorful Colorado for a week of skiing, snow shoeing, snow mobile-ing, crafting, reading, card-playing, and fun-doing!

I'm excited!

I don't have many snowy CO pics, so you will have to enjoy a summertime one. =)

I feel like a "legit" blogger b/c I have some scheduled posts that will pop up while I'm basking in the snow-covered goodness of my beloved Rockies.

Hope you have a great week!

Ready, Set, ACTION!

2010-03-11T09:00:00.002-06:00

I am such a rookie when it comes to photography and photoshop.
My momma uses my computer occasionally for her yearbook course, so she loaded photoshop on it so that she can work from home (whenever I'm home, that is.)

Yeah, there's obviously a total benefit to having a teaching mom.
Conflict of interest? I like to think not.

But I digress.
I'm totally digging Photoshop actions right now.
The Pioneer Woman has some AMAZING ones for FREE. Yes. Free.
Oh, and there's this nifty little site, Coffee Shop Photography, that also has about a bazillion free actions too.

I simply can't get over how easy these things are to use!
I've learned so much about layers simply by playing around with these.
And they are sooooooo fun.
And a great way to procrastinate.

Anywho.
Back to the original plan for this post.
Thought I'd share with you some of the amazingness that is a Photoshop action.

Remember how I went to Ruidoso and only took pictures of deer?

Here is the Straight Out of the Camera (SOOC) shot of the buck who so willingly posed for my camera.

Not too pretty huh? I was quite a distance from this big guy, and I don't have a mega zoom lens or anything, so this was the best I could do.
And it was evening.
And cloudy.
And I'm amateur photographer remember, thus...a not-so-pretty pic.

But Photoshop saved the day!

I tweaked this baby with the Boost and Define and Sharpen actions from Pioneer Woman.
And this is what I got:

It's pretty good, but I wanted more.
So I boosted again.

And WA-BAM!

Now we're in business!

So much fun.

And really simple.
Photoshop is quickly becoming very addicting.
But I'm ok with that.

And even though it's not a Laughter Monday, all this deer talk has brought 2 jokes to mind.

What do you call a deer with no eyes?

No eyed deer.

(no idea)

What do you call a deer with no eyes AND no legs?

Still no eyed deer.

Just cracks me up.

Happy day, me dears!

(pun intended)

Only a month late...

2010-03-09T15:32:00.000-06:00

In February, we had a Valentine's bake sale for one of the organizations on campus.

Well bein' all crafy and fun is on the top of my priority lists, especially when it comes to baking, so I searched around and stumbled on the cutest idea on Bakerella's website: oreo balls shaped into kisses!

I LOVE oreo balls, so it was destiny that I make these for Love-day.

It was super easy...she has full directions here.

Now, her directions call for the oreo kisses to be dipped in chocolate bark...but *Shock of the Century* I don't really care all that much for chocolate. I thought the oreo + chocolate sauce would just be chocolate overkill, so I dipped mine in white almond bark. This is how I normally make oreo balls...and they are always a huge hit, so I figure the chocolate police can't be too upset.

Now for a parade of pictures!

isn't this sign in my kitchen so cute?!

love hob lob clearance!

Important marketing strategy: take some leftover mix, and make

small balls for samples. The customers just ate it up! Literally.

They couldn't resist buying some after they had a sample of the deliciousness.

Hope your Tuesday is full of sweetness!

Laughter Mondays

2010-03-08T16:48:00.000-06:00

What did the tie

say to the hat?

"You go on ahead....

....I'll hang around!"

Happy Monday!

♥ michelle

Lessons Learned

2010-03-05T09:30:00.000-06:00

Oh ya'll.

It was bad.

I was fixin' to clean the counter after cooking supper.
I reached under the kitchen sink and pulled out the first bottle my hands touched *thinking* it was Clorox Clean-up.

I immediately began spraying the counter when I realized, I had grabbed the Windex.

What a dork.
So I exchanged it for the Clorox and doused the counter with a healthy dose of bleach.
And began wiping it off.

But I was quickly overwhelmed by an awful smell!
And it dawned on me: Windex contains ammonia.

In a less than stellar moment, I had just combined bleach and ammonia on my countertops.
And I was home alone.

duh. duh. duuuuuuh. (cue creepy piano music.)

My entire life I have been told that

Bleach + Ammonia = Deadly Combination.

Literally.

So in a matter of about 0.253 seconds (an Olympic record, I'm sure), I grabbed my cell phone and raced out the front door.
I was just certain that I had breathed in deadly fumes and would be dying in a matter of moments.
(I've always had a flair for the dramatic. ha!)

Visions of men in astonaut-like chemical suits with gas masks and oxygen tanks began filling my head. I just knew that poison control was going to have to be called, and they would have to seal my apartment until the deadly gases could be contained and eliminated. My face would be plastered all over the news as the girl who almost wiped out the entire apartment complex with noxious gases. But I wasn't even going to live to see it.

With what I was sure were the last remaining breathes I would take on this planet, I called my dad to tell him of my disasterous mishap and wish him a long and happy life.

What happened next is the kicker. Appaling really.

In the midst of this traumatic experience, my dad
---the man who donated half his genes to me
---who never missed a soccer game in high school
---who can fix just about anything on earth
---my hero, knight in shining armor
LAUGHED AT ME!

Can you believe it?
He laughed at me. His own flesh n blood.

Turns out you have to have massive quantities of ammonia and bleach to produce enough chlorine gas to be fatal. Who knew?

After his brief interlude of laughter at my expense, he quickly dispelled my fears of dying on my front porch and told me he was quite certain I would survive. And poison control would not have to be called. Thus chem suit guys would not surround my apt. And I wouldn't make the evening news.

Darn.

So I went back inside, opened windows and turned on the ceiling fan to air out the smell.
And finished cleaning the counters.

All is right in my world again.

Oh happy note, I get to use these cuh-ute gloves. Makes cleaning super fun.

One more life lesson learned.
One more crisis solved.
All in a days work.

What lessons have YOU learned lately?

Simple blessings

2010-03-03T22:42:00.000-06:00

Today, I'm thankful for:

*An unsuspected email from a dear friend who I only knew briefly this summer, but whose words touched my more deeply than she could ever know. {Thanks Marli!}

*My hair dryer died. As in, weird noises, then smoke, hot wires...yeah, the whole sheBANG! Absolutely no money left in the budget to replace it. The same day: I was given a $25 gift card to Target, just because. How beautiful?!

*Moms who buy extra groceries...just so daughters can "shop" the cabinets when home on the weekends. She even stocks the freezer section...chicken, beef, salmon. The works!

*A beautiful prayer book of hope sent by a long ago friend...just when I needed it the most. Oh, how He loves us.

*68 degrees of beautiful sunshine today. My heart couldn't help but be happy!

So thankful that He provides even when we doubt. So thankful that He scatters Sonshine every.where. if we only take the time to see.

Today I am so very grateful. So very blessed.

What are you thankful for today? How has the Lord blessed you?

Bring out the fireworks, ya'll!

2010-03-02T13:58:00.003-06:00

It's Independence Day here in TEXAS!!!!

Yeehaw! Time to celebrate!!!!

I'm one of the blessed few of the 8 billion of us on this planet to be Texas born and bred.

I just love this state oh-so-much. From our state motto (Friendship) to our state flower (the bluebonnet), to, heaven help us, our state Pride, everything about it just gets me giddy!

My ancestors were part of Stephen F. Austin's first colony that settled this great state. So, needless to say, Texan pride is in my blood. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

So to celebrate, here are some of my absolute favorite things about the Lone Star State.

Amarillo! My hometown. Yep, even good ol' George Strait (a fellow Texan) couldn't help but sing a hit about this great city. Good home cookin'. The friendliest people you will ever meet. The prettiest sunsets this side of heaven. Prairies as far as the eye can see. If you can stand a little wind and the occasional smelly feedyard, it's hands down one of the best things about Texas.

Everything is bigger in Texas! Especially our Faith! This beauty is in a tiny town, Groom, TX, along I-40 near the Oklahoma border. You can see it for miles around. Simply amazing.

THE Dallas Cowboys. 'Nuff said.

Back to that "everything's bigger" thing. Check out this spectacular picture of a lightning storm in Amarillo from a few years ago. There's just nothing like it!

The rich history. I love that we class after class of state history all throughout school. There's nothing greater than remembering the Alamo, the widows of Goliad, the Battle of San Jacinto. Great leaders of our state from Austin to Houston, Travis, Bowie, Crockett. These amazing men who paved the way for the greatness that remains to this day. Love it.

Just a few more things I love about this state:

Football is king. And for a gal who only watches ESPN during football season (and of course the draft), this is vital!
Conservative roots. Pro-business. Pro-capitalism.
The diverse landscape. Mountains, forests, plains, coastal land, deserts. You want, we got it!
The fact that it takes an entire day to get outta this place if driving across it! Ha!
West Texas and the Hill Country
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY. Oldest university in Texas, even back when we were our own nation! Sic 'em!
And I gotta say it again, our ridiculous state pride. It's hard to be humble when you're the best. =)

All I gotta say is if you're still reading, you deserve a freakin' award!

Thanks for sifting through my tribute to my favorite place on earth!

God bless, Texas!

♥ michelle

Texan born and Texan bred, and when I die, I'll be Texan dead!

Laughter Mondays

2010-03-01T10:08:00.000-06:00

A guy hears a light knock at the door.

He opens the door and all he sees is a snail.
He picks it up and hurls it across the street.

Six months later, he hears a knock on the door.
He opens it up and there's the snail.
The snail says "What was that all about?!"

{All images from Yahoo}

Hope your Monday is full of fun!

♥ michelle

Laughter Mondays

2010-02-22T13:05:00.001-06:00

I like to celebrate Mondays. It's the start of a new week. Something fresh. Something exciting!

It always confuses me when people say "it is such a Monday!" Because I think if we were really honest, we sometimes have those days whether it's Monday, Tuesday, or Friday. So I kinda think it's a shame to go into this day of the week with an already pessimistic attitude. I say, "bring it on Monday! Let's get this party started!"

But I always was a Positive Polly.

Anywho, I think I'm gonna start something new on this here blog. And it's called Laughter Mondays. Because it's best to start the week of right...and what other way than laughing???

So for today I have a joke and a story.

The joke:

***Disclaimer: I love corny jokes. They rock my world. Make my heart sing. It is my dream to one day write and publish a joke book full of jokes that are actually funny. And clean. However, this one is a teensy bit dirty. We'll call it "smudged". But it just makes me laugh. And I have a picture. So that makes it better. And in case you're leery to continue reading, do it. It's really funny, and in no way exceptionally dirty. Just "smudged."

What's the difference between beer nuts and deer nuts?

Wait for it.........

.................................................

............... =) ...............

Beer nuts are a dollar twenty five ($1.25) and deer nuts are under a buck!!!!

{Another Ruidoso deer}

Hahaha! See, aren't you glad you continued reading?! That joke makes me giggle every. single. time. Love it.

Now for this sweet story to put a smile on your face:

A little boy and his daddy were looking at a litter of puppies, planning to buy one, and the daddy asked the boy which one he wanted. The lad pointed to a pup whose tail was wagging furiously and said, "That one with the happy ending."

{Image curtesy of Spike Bachman}

Hope your Monday is filled with laughter and smiles, and a very happy ending!

Happy Sonday

2010-02-21T22:50:00.001-06:00

"No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn."

-Hal Borland

"We also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance, and perseverance, proven character, and proven character, hope. And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us."

-Romans 5:3-5

Oh deer

2010-02-15T15:12:00.000-06:00

Well, Hello there!

{Ps. 42:2}

I have been absent from the real world for a few days. I had the privilege of taking a group of teenagers to Ruidoso, NM for a fun ski trip this passed weekend! It was A-MA-ZING!

The teens were awesome! Love them soooo much. Our youth group is growing and I can't wait to see how the Lord is going to work in the lives of these young whippersnappers. Gosh....God is So Good!

We drove down Friday night, skiied all day Saturday and Sunday. A group of us drove back Sunday night, but some waited until Monday to come home. It was a quick trip, but soooo worth it! The weather was beautiful, the snow was incredible, the company...delightful.

Oh, and I may gone with 20 other people, but you wouldn't know it from the leftover proof on my camera. 14 teens, 6 adults, tons of beautiful scenery. And the only thing I captured were a couple of deer. Ha! Gotta love it!

Happy Monday!
♥ michelle

dreaming

2010-02-12T04:31:00.002-06:00

{beautiful Colorado in Summer}

Instead, I woke up to this

{Cold Lubbock in Winter}

Dear Summer,

Please hurry. My bones are achy, my hands are dry n cracked from scraping ice, and my electric bill would like a break. Plus, I desperately need a snow cone...and...my flip flops are lonely.

Miss you,

♥ michelle

Dear Spring,

Please bring pretty flowers and green grass to dreary Lubbock ASAP. We West Texans are suffering from the dreaded LOAPA disorder. [Lack-of-anything-pretty-around]. K?

Thanks,

♥ michelle

P.S. How 'bout you leave the wind that normally accompanies you with your evil stepbrother, Winter. mmm k? thanks very much!

She's the maccaroni...

2010-02-10T15:49:00.001-06:00

...to my cheese.

I just love this girl.

No one can make me laugh as hard or as long. She is hysterical. Laugh-so-hard-I-pee-in-my-pants funny.

She's also beautiful.

And she's smart.

And loves the Lord with her everything.

She has one of the quickest wits I know.

And she is one mean scrapbookin' machine.

She's got the sweetest moves on a diving board you will ever see.

Plus, she can out-eat every boy I know.

She's also a little sassy:

And super opinionated.

She's an amazing dancer.

And one of the most loyal people I know.

And did I mention funny? Yep, she can have an entire room of people in stiches, rollin' on the ground, beggin' for mercy.

But, my sweet, beautiful, funny, wonderful friend...

...is leaving me.

Yep, she's chasing her dreams. And following her heart.

She found out 2 weeks ago that she got accepted to UTMB medical school. [See, told you she was smart.] So she'll be packin' up her gear, and moving to Galveston.

Which is no where close to Amarillo!

We just got reunited in May after my long stint in Waco at Baylor. {read all about our reunion celebration here.}

Now don't get me wrong. I'm sooo proud of her. Thrilled. Ecstatic. She is getting the opportunity to do what she has always wanted to do: help people. And she's going to be so fantastic at it.

But my little selfish heart wants to have my best friend close to home.

So that we can water ski, and have impromptu photoshoots, and scrapbook for days straight.

I mean really, who else can I get to belt "Why'd you come in here lookin' like that" by Dolly Parton on a ski lift for all the world (or all of Wolf Creek at least) to hear? And who is going to eat all my red Skittles? Or have cooking catastrophes where we nearly burn the house down?

We're like peanut butter and jelly. She's my other half.

And I'm gonna miss her. So. Much.

But Britt, sister,

You go to Galveston.

And you show those islanders what a REAL Texan is all about. =)

And kick med school's tail!

And when you finally get done, when you have the knowledge to shape and change lives, and the tools to make a BIG difference in this world...well, I'll be here. In West Texas. With my arms open wide. Ready to congratulate you. Ready to watch you shine. Ready to point at one of the prettiest gals I know and say, "yep, that's MY best friend. The doc. She's somethin' special."

Can't wait to watch you run this race! I love that you are sooo courageous. You are gonna do great things!

Thanks for dreaming BIG. Go get 'em sister!

oh, and one more thing...after you go and get all educated, and you think you're all smart and get too big for your britches...remember this...I can always pull out the mud wrestling video to knock you back down to size. And don't forget, I can still school you at cards. oh and another thing. Even if you are all smart and can sign your name Dr. Porter and all...well, green beans should still be cooked with BACON. You won't ever win that argument, friend....no matter how many degrees you get. k?

Oh, and for all you men out there...soooo sorry. But she's also taken:

Love ya, Britt!

Scatterin' some Son-shine

2010-02-08T23:14:00.001-06:00

{just love those West TX sunsets}

this was taken FROM MY CAR going 70 MPH

down i-27. love my Canon!

Don't you just love it when our sweet Lord sneaks up on you, refreshing you, even if you didn't know you needed refreshment?

That's the exact experience I had yesterday.

I have an on-going journal where I write names of people who have come in and out of my life, leaving special marks on my heart. These sweet angels have brought me a lifetime of JOY! I also keep a running list of specific intentions, and it's a beautiful thing to see the way the Lord answers these prayers. Simply beautiful.

Awhile back, I was praying over this journal in church and a verse struck out at me. I didn't have time to really read it and meditate on it, so I quickly jotted it down, intending to look it up when I got home. Weeks went by, and then months, and I just never got around to reading this little Scripture snack.

Yesterday, I finally got around to checking out this nugget from the Word, and boy, it was just what I needed! Gotta love that sneaky Jesus stuff! =)

Instead of copying the entire passage, I'm just going to share with you the bits n pieces that tugged at my heart strings.

Psalm 19:8-15

the law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.
the command of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eye.
cleanse me from my unknown faults. *
from willful sins keep your servant, let them never control me.
Let the words of my mouth meet with your favor, keep the thoughts of my heart before you, Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

I just loved the Truth presented here.

I often here people complaining about the "rules" of Christianity...but for me, I've never felt the need to complain. And these verses just embody that feeling for me. His law is perfect...it refreshes us! His command is clear, let it enlighten us!

This gift is something to rejoice over, not complain. Especially when we take into account the last few lines:
the Psalmist reminds us that we don't follow Him alone...He is our strength, our rock and redeemer. It's such a beautiful dance we get to make with Him. It should be a JOY to follow Him faithfully... we will fail, but He gave us the Cross of Hope. He is our strength. Our salvation.

I wish I was more eloquent like so many of the beautiful bloggers I read. I often feel like I can't adequately express the joy. love. hope. I get from our Prince.

Let me wrap up my ramblings:
my favorite verse from this little diddy has the * by it. "Cleanse me from unknown faults." That is my prayer for this week.

Teach me in the ways of the soul, dear Lord, that I may become more and more like You. Cleanse me of those hidden faults, so that You shine through. Use me, to scatter your Sonshine.

Blessings.

♥ michelle

All I Gotta Say Is...

2010-02-07T12:40:00.001-06:00

Go Cowboys!!!!

What are your big plans for Super Bowl Sunday?

Get the varmit some glasses, will ya?!?!

2010-02-02T18:13:00.001-06:00

I mean really, how hard is it to see your shadow?

Thanks to this little fella:

we have 6 more weeks of winter.

I might not survive. I have been a Michelle popsicle since cerca OCTOBER! Sheesh. Enough is enough!

Luckily I have these delicious life savers to help me cope.

Hurry up, Spring! We miss youuuuu!!!!

Just-a-ponderin'

2010-01-27T17:19:00.001-06:00

Been doin' some pondering lately.
about perseverance. about forgiveness. about perfection.

Perseverance:
running The Race. seeking the Kingdom. loving the King.
Forgiveness:
failure. brokeness. picking up the pieces. Trying.Again.
Perfection:
never content. keeps me moving. seeking to be better.

So many things about the Christian Life are enriching, beautiful, awe-inspiring.
The other day I was delving into one of my favorite books of all time, Mere Christianity. Lewis was talking about chastity in his chapter on Sexual Morality. ickkk. Quite the sticky subject in current culture...well, even in Lewis' day too. But what I love about this chapter, this book, is that so much of it goes beyond the surface. I love to sit, and ponder...to "chew" on the nuggets that saturate this book, this chapter especially.

So in regards to my ponderings:

Perseverance:
"It is wonderful what you can do when you have to." I love this.
When Dad and I go backpacking during the summers, so much of our time is spent on "haves" and not "wants". Eating, hiking, filtering water, building a fire. These things that are often "wants" in daily life, become essential to survival out on the trail. You have to eat. You have to build a fire to cook. You have to. You will not survive if you don't. How would our lives change if we embraced the Christian life by this outlook? Chastity is no longer an option. Honesty is a necessity. Generosity becomes an obsession. Loving others is vital to life.

Forgiveness:
"After each failure, aks forgiveness, pick yourself up, and Try Again. Very often, what God first helps us towards is not the virtue itself but just this power of always trying again." What a beautiful, simplified picture of the Christian life! I love it. I love that our God is so big that our failures do not define us. I love that the power of the Cross is so strong that 2000 years later we still get forgiveness freely, and profoundly, by simply asking.

Perfection:
In conjuncture with forgiveness, Lewis states, "we learn that we cannot trust ourselves even in our best moments, but that we need not despair even in our worst, for our failures are forgiven. The only fatal thing is to sit down content with anything less than perfection." Never, ever, under any circumstance, let Satan tempt me with complacency. Perfection, in Jesus. Seeking always to be made better, to grow. To change. To deepen who I am in Christ. To more fully, more faithfully be His. Why? Because "virtue, even attempted [but failed] virtue brings Light."

And I want to add to the Sonshine.

On a different note, have you heard about myoneword.org? It's a movement in the Christian community to choose one word for the year, instead of achieving any New Year's resolutions. Well, I'm struggling to come up with one word...I'm a female, we thrive on wordiness! =)
So instead, I have chosen one verse for the year.

I leave you with this:

Whatcha-ma-call-it

2010-01-25T16:35:00.002-06:00

I love the little things that add extra sunshine to life:

♥ pictures

♥ polka dots

♥ the color Yellow

♥ sprinkles...and lots of 'em

And then of course, there's one of my favorites: Hobby Lobby.

Yep, few things get my engine revvin' like a trip to HobLob.

Since I don't have class on Fridays, I decided to take a fun-filled trip to that wonderful crafting and decorating paradise. I bought some cute Valentine's day scrapbooking paper, some ribbon (I don't think I can leave that store without buying at least one deal of ribbon...*sigh), and a candy dish for V Day.

And then, in the 66% off home decorating clearance aisle, I found a picture frame lazy-susan dealy-ma-whopper . But it was hideous. I'm talkin' ugly orange-colored just-stepped-outta-the-70s awfulness. But it was 7 bucks, and it was beggin' for some lovin' so I picked her up, along with a can of white spray paint (Krlyon and I are good friends and I had a 40% off coupon for it) and headed home.

And I *may* have been so excited to give this little thinga-ma-jig some TLC that I completely forgot to take a before picture...which is probably for the better b/c it was so hideous it would have broken my brand new Canon Rebel.

This thing is pretty nifty because it has little mini albums on top to add more photos:

And here is a teensy glimps of her former not-so-charming days of orange tackiness. Just imagine the entire thing covered in this...

I had a hard time deciding what color to paint her, so I settled on good ol' fashioned white, that way she could make it through all decorating seasons. But I knew I wanted some color b/c bright colors make me happy, so I opted for scrapbook paper backgrounds and black n white photos in the frames.

And just for fun, I took a shot of these cute Valentine's dice that sit on my coffee table. They're kinda silly, but alot of fun never-the-less.

Oh, and one more thing. I know you are sitting on the edge of your seat wondering what the problem was with my printer from the other day...

Well, as it turns out, a printer has to be PLUGGED IN! Who knew???

Not my most shining moment, but I did get a good laugh at my own expense when I finally realized what the problem was.

Ahh, one more techonology crisis solved. All in a days work, my friends.

Blessings!

♥ michelle

Rebel love!

2010-01-09T18:07:00.014-06:00

Yowza!

I graduated from my beloved Baylor University in May.

Sic 'Em Bears!

Mom and Dad didn't know what to get me for graduation.

But half a year later, they came through. In a BIG way!

I'm talking HUGE!!!!

Yep folks, I got a brand spankin' new Canon REBEL T1i!!!

The necessary self portrait of course

And yes, I'm wearing quite the outfit:

Christmas up top

Candy-stripe pjs on bottom

In case you didn't know, I am THE Official Mistletoe Tester

I promise I really did graduate from the esteemed Baylor U

It came in this ginormous box with lots, and lots of goodies. Like a second lens. And photo editing for dummies. (Apparently they didn't get the memo that I had GRADUATED...and hence, am no longer a dummy. Sheesh.)

So I proceeded to take pics. Tons and tons of pics. And here are a few of the gems:

Artsty Fartsy Christmas Ornament

Again with the artsy fartsy shenanigans

Got to play with this cutie at the annual Pollard Christmas Extravaganza

Dad bought Mom some flowers for her b-day, and I just HAD to document them

And finally the BIG Finale:

No I did not take this pic.

But it just cracks me up!
Seriously, laugh-out-loud funny!
Anywho, that's it for my Christmas photography adventures.

For now anyway.
I have get back to the important things in life like birthday cake ice cream & sprinkles. And figuring out why my printer will NOT turn on!!! (Technology and I do not get along. At all.)

And I promise not to wait 2 months before posting again. If you're lucky, it might even be sometime this week. But only if this printer cooperates. :D

Heavens to Betsy!

2009-11-18T14:54:00.008-06:00

Oh my lands! There are a plethora of great giveaways going on all over blogland!
Thought I'd spread the love:

Make and Love It has a fun giveaway for a $20 gift certificate to Jellabee.
Check out this classy pearl headband:

Over at Design Dazzle, Kate Landers is being featured in a giveaway of her cute party supplies:

Then we have V and Co. (who is just so amazingly talented)...well, she is giving away a camera strap from *Shey* [B]. Here is just one example of the cah-ute camera straps she has:

Well, it turns out that Shey (the camera strap gal) is ALSO offering a giveaway on HER blog. She's giving away Vintage Pearl cuteness:

And finally, there is Today's Give Away. This site is WONDERFUL! All they do is give fun stuff away...who can argue w/ that? =) Go check 'em out...there are several current give-aways going on right now.

Whew! Well that was fun, but now I've spent a good hour and a half blogging and entering give-aways, I'm gonna go do something productive...like catch up on NCIS. =P

Wow...

2009-11-06T18:23:00.002-06:00

OH. MY. COW.

I was perusin' this site and stumbled upon this post.

I wasn't laughin' until the comments. Good grief. So funny.

The jist of it is this:
BooMama and a friend were trying to come up w/ the holiest email salutation, and thus it spurred alot of commentary. Some of them were too gushy for me, but here were my favs:

-God bless your socks off,
-Break dancin' in the Spirit,
-Just a hangnail on the Body of Christ, (seriously clever)
-Jesus loves you and I'm trying, (bahahaha, sooo relatable)
-Gettin' Fat on the Abundance of His Blessings, (again, pretty clever)
-Grateful I live under grace and not the law because my love of bacon would prohibit me from keeping kosher, (hilarious!)

And thus, I had to share mine. I've used it for forever, and friends back in Waco even call me by it. It inspired the title of my blog.

In His Son-shine,
michelle

Frame Fun

2009-11-02T22:40:00.003-06:00

Thought I'd share a little picture frame fun today!

This first frame was 5 bucks at Kohl's on clearance, mat included. So a little ribbon cuteness and some polka dot action, and voila! A little extra pizzaz on a basic black frame. Not to mention some super cute besties in the pic!

Now this second frame also happened to be a Kohl's find. It actually came in a pack of 10 frames for $20, so for all you math whizzes out there, that's a whopping 2 bucks a frame! Wowsies!

In my apt (yes, I know, I have yet to post any pics of the cute decorations...soon, very soon...) we needed an extra something above the stove, so I whipped up some creative magic, and va-va-voom, we have another fun project! This time I used some cardstock, paint, stamps, and ribbon to make this little piece of artwork. The message was intended to inspire us to cook more...not working too well...

Anywho, that's all for today. I'm linking up w/ Kimba for the DIY day. Be sure and check out all the fun projects she has posted!

Have a Picnik!!!

2009-10-23T10:51:00.004-05:00

Have ya'll heard about Picnik? It's a way fun photo editing site! And the best part? It's free!!! And who doesn't love free? =)

Here's a sampling of the fun I had:

By the way, it's BAYLOR'S HOMECOMING!!!!! I't's arguably the best thing about fall! I'm so sad I can't be there, but I'm totally there in spirit!

Let's go Baylor! Beat the Cowboys!

Sic 'em Bears!

Help!!!

2009-10-11T20:53:00.002-05:00

I seem to have misplaced my bedroom amongst all my junk:

[excuse the bra please]

Please send reinforcements!

But you bet-your-boots, my bed was still made:

Yes, my life exploded last week (4 tests, 8 assignments, 1 quiz), and I'm still sifting through the aftermath. I mean, I'm usually a neat freak, but for some reason, I could not handle it last week and my usually orderly piles of junk have exploded in chaos. So I'm off to tame the beast! Wish me luck! =)

Barely made it out with my life!

2009-09-04T10:12:00.003-05:00

{name that movie}

I don't like buggies. Period.

B/c unlike the rest of the population, I have the insider's scoop on the conspiracy amongst the creepy critters. Yep, the one that involves them getting the entire human population to think that they are merely harmless, defeatable little guys, when in fact, they are just waiting for the perfect moment to morph into giant creepies and take over the world. Whew, aren't you glad you now know their true ploy in life? Your welcome....but really no need to thank me, just doing my duty.

Anywho, let me recap for you the latest episode in which one of these creepy crawlies tried to invade and take over my life.

It was on this relaxing Friday morning that I decided it was necessary to partake in my daily cleansing ritual, aka, the shower. As I opened the shower curtain, what did I find staring back at me w/ gross eyes, large fangs, and six daddy-sized long legs? Yep, a disgusting creature who doesn't have a name b/c there-is-nothing-quite-capable-of-capturing-the-true-essence-of-this-thing.

Now without having to recap the Great Man-Eating Grasshopper Adventure of '07, let me just inform you that I have learned my lesson about using raid on rabid insects, so I chose instead to use the "normal" means of killing these awful creatures: a shoe....covered in toilet paper (for means of cleaning up the guts left behind.) So I killed it, and scooped it up, and dumped it in the toilet, and flushed it's lifeless body away. And I thought I had won...victory was mine.

But no.

In a startling turn of events, that creature thought it could one-up me even in death by leaving behind one of its legs....and that leg was MOVING! Yes right there in the middle of my freshly cleaned bathtub was a horrendous spider leg wiggling all over the place.

I was furious now. I did not know the correct protocol for dealing w/ a live, body-less spider leg. And everyone knows these things must be dealt with quickly should they morph into giant, man-eating spider legs....and it does happen. I know first hand... you see, even after death, these creatures have a way of making us pay. I recall the incident in my younger, more-trusting-of-creepies years when I was cleaning up the swimming pool and I got stung. By a DEAD wasp! You see, even when they're dead, you can't trust the critters!

And this one was still moving!!!! So I decided my next course of action was to leave the bathroom completely. And lie on my bed. And let my out-of-control racing heart beat return to normal lest I have a heart attack and the creature win victory over me.

So five much-needed minutes later, I summon all the bravery within me, and walked right back into that bathroom. And to my relief, the leg had stopped moving. But using my expert spider knowledge (I do have a degree in biology you know), I knew that these little guys have sneaky little ways of rigor-mortis-ing back to life, so I flushed it down the drain w/ the shower head.

And then with the little strength I had left from fighting this fearless opponent, I proceeded to take my shower...knowing full well that little leg could morph into a ginormous, death-to-all-mankind leg and rush up my drain and eat me alive. But I did it. There is no need to commend my bravery, I did what anyone would do. But thanks for the thought.

And I lived to tell about it in this blog post. Apparently God has other plans for me today (although I am convinced that when He does decide to take me Home, his MO will be death-by-spider attack).

And with that, I leave you in search of greener pastures, and to embrace my duty to all mankind by forging ahead, protecting the universe from the unsightly crawlers of death. And also to do whatever the Big Man chooses to do w/ me on this new day.

Peace out. And may the force be with you.

Hilarious Happenings

2009-09-02T18:24:00.006-05:00

Brittany + Michelle = recipe for disaster. Or at the least, a whole lotta fun!

A few weekends ago, Britt and I planned a girls' weekend in Ft. Worth to celebrate being college grads...some may say we're educated, but please maybe you should wait until the end of this post to pass judgement on the level of our edu-macation.

Friday:
Being the wonderfully refined college graduates that we are, we decided to celebrate our transition into adulthood properly...by going to Hurricane Harbor!!!! (Back in my day, it was called Wet 'N' Wild, but I'm an old fogie now.) It was a blast! We started out the day with a bang by riding down the super tall, crazy steep, big slide (technical name... actually my aging memory is failing me and I can't come up w/ the real name). And we hooted and hollered the entire way down in which we were plunged not-so-gracefully into a deep pool of water. Wow-wee, what a way to kick off the grand watery adventure! Yes, much to the "delight" of our parents, we may never grow up.

After enjoying a full day of wetness and slides and wave pools and an amazing, knock-your-socks-off, take-your-kids-right-this-minute jungle gym-like water fort, we were pooped. And starved. And if there's one thing that Britt and I do well, it's eat. Especially when the menu involves unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks at the one and only Olive Garden! =)

Yep, that's right, folks. Six bowls of soup, two big bowls of salad, six breadsticks, and a full bottle of Muscato wine later, we were finally stuffed. (I interrupt this riveting blog post to inform you that you can buy a bottle of Olive Garden's rock-your-world salad dressing for 4 bucks... amazing. And yes, I give you that nugget of info for free, b/c well frankly, I'm just very generous.)

But we didn't stop there. In true celebratory fashion, dessert was an imperative part of the evening. But it turns out that OG disapproves of their guests unbuttoning their britches to make more room in the belly for some dessert, so we paid our ridiculously expensive bill (due to the full bottle of wine) and left that fine establishment in search of greater dessert horizons.

But we detoured. B/c we are Brittany and Michelle. We decided that we should make some room in our overstuffed bellies for the birthday cake ice cream we were craving, so we high-tailed it across the parking lot to TJ Maxx where we spent an hour perusing the goods, and making some very fun purchases for our houses.

Then back at the car, we headed to Albertson's b/c it was the closest grocery store (actually in the same parking lot as OG and TJM) to find ourselves some much-deserved ice cream. But much to our chagrin...the dang store did not have a single brand of ice cream with birthday cake flavor!!!! I know! I'm as shocked and appalled as you are reading this! I'm still quite upset about the whole matter...I need a moment to compose myself...

*sniffle*

Well we were flabbergasted (talk about a fun word!) but never the ones to back down to a challenge, we decided to continue the search for the much needed bday cake ice cream. However, b/c we were already in Albertson's, and b/c we were desperately craving ice cream, and b/c we were unsure of how long and far our search for bday cake ice cream would take us, and b/c we are nothing if not opportunistic, we decided to make a teensy-weensy purchase of ice cream for the road. Turns out Ben and Jerry sell these amazingly cute little bitty cups of ice cream, so Britt got strawberry shortcake, and I got chocolate chip cookie dough, to hold us of over until we were able to find our Holy Grail of ice cream.

And boy did we ever find it! Mecca, aka Marble Slab, saved our taste buds from a night of below-par desserts. Yes indeed! We whipped into the parking lot, scarfed down the last remaining bits of Ben and Jerry's (b/c even we know it would have been unclassy to walk into the Slab eating some knock-off, can't-even-make-bday-cake-flavored-ice-cream-available-to-the-general-public brand), and walked right into that deliciously smelling ice cream-lover's paradise, and ordered us a pint of birthday cake ice cream with rainbow sprinkles.

Every sweet thing in life should be served with sprinkles.

When that spoon filled with wonderfulness hit my tongue, I was transported to a place I didn't know could exist on this side of Heaven. Only two words could describe the transcendental experience: life. changing. I'm still savoring the moment.

It is here that I must interject a tidbit of info that may bring some insight into why this moment was so out-of-this-world. You see, since last October, Britt and I have been on a bet in which we do not eat sweets unless it is a big holiday or birthday. Yes, I know, we are out of our minds, but to our credit, we never did claim to be sane, so that's your own fault for assuming. Ten grueling months of nothing but drab apples and yogurt, left my taste buds desperate for ice cream.

And ice cream is amazing. And when sprinkles are thrown in there, it's just downright heavenly. So we proceeded to eat this amazing goodness until it was completely gone. And then licked the bowl. I'm afraid my life ended then and there, b/c nothing could ever top that moment.

Alright, enough with the melodrama. But seriously, if ice cream was a man, I'd marry him in a heartbeat...can you just imagine THAT kiss? =)

So with that sweet thought, I think I shall go munch on some carrots. All this talk about ice cream has made my jeans tighter.

Yayee!!!

2009-04-24T19:00:00.003-05:00

It's official! I'm finally blogging! Funny story...I have refused to start a blog until I figured out how to make the background kinda fun first...and that took a very.long.time. Definitely a few weeks. But I *finally* figured it out, and now we're rollin! And while my blog background is no where near as exciting as so many others out there, it'll do for now...until finals are over...well and the master's degree too... =) Hope this is super fun!