ChloJo

I often write about our dog, Bristol but noticed the other day that I rarely write about our cat, Chloë, known also by the following names:

MonkeyDoodle
Chatterbox
FatBrat
ChloJo

She's an obnoxious but sweet little beast who likes to wake us each morning with high pitched meows. Who is just now, after two years, getting comfortable around the dog. Who after a year is still missing our FatBoy 'bastian (the cat we lost last year). Who rarely sits still long enough to be photographed. Even so, I was able to snap these images with my trusty iPhone4 Hipstamatic.



























Here's to cats with sass!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

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O Christmas Tree

New, pre-lit tree. Lovingly decorated by me and my adorable niece. Failed to plug all the lights together before decorating. When we lit the tree up, we got this:











After hours spanning days of looking for a single plug, I finally caved and dismantled the tree. Found the plug. Re-decorated the tree. Lit it up again. Result:










Well worth the investment of time, don't you think?

Here's to a fully lit Christmas tree!

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A List: Movies

I love to watch movies. My husband does not. This means, effectively, that my movie watching has been limited, at best, since I got married five years ago. Seriously. I could probably count, on one hand, the number of times I've been in a theater per year over the last five or six years. For someone who once couldn't keep count at all because I went to the movies so often, that's saying a lot.

As a direct result of my limited movie watching endeavors, there are a bunch of movies I want to see. And since my husband will be out of town next week, I'm thinking this might be a good time to catch up on some of the movies I've missed the last few years. Here's a list, in no particular order:

Hereafter
Toy Story 3
Love and Other Drugs
Burlesque
Push
Harry Potter and the..., well, all of them!
Eat Pray Love
Black Swan

I know there are a ton more but of the top off my head these are the only one's I can think of.
I'm seriously considering packing some wine, cheese and fruit and sneaking it into the movie theater with me this weekend for a lovely little movie marathon.

Here's to celluloid and lovely stories that help us escape!





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A Boy, a Girl, and a Ring

This past Friday, October 29th, my husband and I celebrated our five year wedding anniversary. Five years of marital bliss, which, for those who don't know, consists of the following:

• Copious amounts of laughing; belly laughs and laughing so hard you cry are usually the best
• Some bickering
• Lots of hugs
• Daily kisses, and every now and then, making out like a pair of teenagers
• The occasional knock down, drag out (just keepin' it real, folks)
• Knowing when to say you're sorry (see above!)
• Praying together, and for one another
• Waking up daily willing to bring your best game to the marriage
• Lots and lots of love

With this being the five year milestone, I wanted to do something really special for my husband, however as I had to work the entire weekend, plans of a short, romantic getaway had to be put on hold. Nonetheless, I wanted to mark the occasion and give him a gift that was meaningful, yet original, and of course it had to fall within the traditional anniversary gifts, which, for five years, is wood.

An aside: Did you know that every year has a traditional gift associated with it? Yeah, it's not just the big ones, 25-silver, 50-gold, 75-diamond. Nope, each year has one. Five is wood. If you're interested in what some of the other "years" are, click here. It's a pretty interesting list!

After considering several "wood" options and not finding one meaningful enough, it dawned on me one evening while I chatted with my mother-in-law; I already had his gift!

A few months ago, while vacationing in Wisconsin, I shot some photographs of an old, commercial fishing tug [boat] that my husband worked on in his teens. I remember him speaking of that boat, the Avis J, with deep affection, not so much for the boat, I'm sure, but more for that time in his life. It was a tough time, to be sure, but working on the Avis J made him feel a part of something special, and I know it helped shape the man he would later become, the man I married, the man I'm still madly in love with. Yes, the Avis J was the perfect gift. I had it enlarged and framed, and yes, it fit the traditional wood gift. It was a wood boat and the frame was wood. Perfect, right?

When I gave it to him that morning before heading into the office, I knew by his reaction that it was the perfect gift. I was so pleased that I'd not only given him something that reminded him of his past and how far he's come, but something that completely surprised him. I went off to work on a cloud.

That afternoon, dismissed early in preparation for the long weekend of work ahead, I went home to unwind, rest and have a mini celebration with my husband. When I got home, the hubs wasn't home yet, so I relaxed for a bit and reflected on the last five years and remembered the beautiful day I married my best friend. 

A few hours later, my amazing husband came home, bearing gifts. He walked through the door carrying a gorgeous floral bouquet. He gave it to me with a sly grin, then went back out to his truck, muttering something about "there's more." Seconds later, he reappeared with a little black velvet box in his hands. Suddenly I had butterflies in my stomach. I knew what that box held, and was cringing at how much he'd probably spent. With a gleeful smile, he said, "happy anniversary, my love" and opened the box. Before me, nestled among the black velvet, was a new diamond wedding ring. This man had upgraded my wedding ring. And it was beautiful!

Sadly, I robbed my husband of the reaction he was expecting from me. Caught up in the thoughts of how much he'd spent, and to be honest, that the diamond wasn't the shape I would have selected for myself, I quietly whispered, "oh my, you shouldn't have" as I watched his face fall in disappointment.

He asked if it was the cost or the ring that I had issue with, and made clear that the cost was something I need not worry about. He offered to exchange the ring. And to be honest, I considered it. (I know, I know, I'm a total brat!)

But I didn't return or exchange the ring. He put it on my finger, and it dawned on me: if this had been the ring he'd proposed to me with five years ago that day, I would have been over the moon! This was the ring he wanted me to have. It was yet another reflection of how far he, we, have come, that he was able to do this for me.

Today, almost a week later, I look down at my hand and see that huge rock glinting in the low light and I can't help but smile. After all, I am one very lucky girl!

Here's to unexpected gifts and my awesome husband!

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Pink Polish

I don't like my pink polish. It's loud and garish and doesn't suit me at all. I want to take it off.







Then I started thinking about why I'm wearing it. Breast cancer is no picnic.

I'm sure the women who have it, or had it, thought it sucked and would have liked to "take it off. "

Those undergoing chemo, the ones who've lost their hair, they probably thought that sucked.

All the families that lost a daughter, sister, mother, wife, friend - I'm sure they all thought that sucked.

Yet the fighters and survivors endure, the victims are remembered. It's for them I'll wear my loud and garish pink polish. They are all worth it.

Where's Your Pink?

Here's to Finding A Cure!

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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

1979

Today I heard the Smashing Pumpkins' song '1979' on my way to work.
While listening to it, I tried to recall the last time I remembered hearing that song. It dawned on me slowly, but with more than a hint of nostalgia; it had easily been over ten years since I'd heard the tune.

Today I heard the Smashing Pumpkins' song '1979' on my way to work.
Listening to it as I drove into a gorgeous sunrise, it took me back to a past I thought I'd laid to rest. Odd how a song can so easily transport us to another place and time, bring back ghosts believed released.

Today I heard the Smashing Pumpkins' song '1979' on my way to work.
As the sun rose steadily over the horizon, I wept for the vulnerable girl whose heart was broken, dreams dashed and world turned upside down while '1979' played in the background. She deserved better, whether she knew it or not.

Today I heard the Smashing Pumpkins' song '1979' on my way to work.
I sent up a prayer of thanks and gratitude, and a sigh of relief for the healing that only time can bring.

Today I heard the Smashing Pumpkins' song '1979' on my way to work. And towards the end, I sang along and allowed myself to remember what a great song it is.

Here's to the soundtrack of our lives!

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Fun Run

Last year, I started running. I went from couch to 5K in oh, two weeks. Yep. Sure did. And those of you who know me know this is no small feat, as I am not, to say the least, physically fit. But one day, I woke up, went for a quarter mile run and thought, "I can do this." The next day, I ran a mile, and two weeks later, I ran my first 5K. I then proceeded to run at least one "official" 5K a month, from December to March, with shorter "training" runs in between. After March, however, I took a break. Or got lazy. It's really a matter of perspective, don't ya' think? Before I knew it, my break rolled into summer and then my excuse for not running was a whiney, "It's TOO HOT!!" Well, duh! I live in Texas. Of course it's hot.

Finally out of excuses and feeling like a complete slug, I decided to hit the pavement again. First time I went out I realized just how quickly I'd lost the little conditioning I'd built up last winter. Barely surviving a two mile run, and huffing and puffing like I'd just scaled Mt. Everest, I realized I was going to have to begin a more formal training program, especially if I ever wanted to run a race longer than 5K.

Enter, C25K, a nifty little app that lives on my iPhone. My own personal coach for training for a 5K, the right way. I'm on the third successful week of training, and determined to get through the whole program.

Today, I leashed the dog and headed out for my run. A nice, misty rain was falling and the temperatures had cooled to delightful levels. I knew it was going to be a good run. My dog, I suspect, did not share my excitement. She's not one for getting wet, even when it feels great. But it was an easy light rain, and we set out to "get. it. done." (borrowed from my friend, April!)

Little did I know this was heading my way:

The scheduled run was 28 minutes, but about 21 minutes into it, the skies opened and torrential rains were poured down on me and my poor pooch. Within about 5 seconds, we were both soaked to the skin, and about a minute later, soaked to the bone. Already sopping wet, I figured there was no sense in cutting the run short, so we made our way around our course and finished the run in the downpour.

Sounds crazy, right? Here's the thing. It was wonderful! My makeup completely washed off by the rain, mascara streaking off with each footfall, I knew I looked a mess. But I couldn't bring myself to care. I had a huge grin plastered on my face and can't recall the last time I felt so good.


Running is liberating. It frees me from, well, pretty much everything. The road doesn't care how I look, what I'm wearing, whether I'm in a good mood or not. All I have to do when I set out to run is, run.


There is something amazingly beautiful about this. Simple. Cleansing. Satisfying. I pray I am granted more runs like today's. Hands down, it was my funnest run to date.


Here's to running, rain or shine!

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Phone Photography

Today's phones are so much more than just a phone. They serve as our calendar, to do list, music player, weight loss and fitness coach, and in some cases, child tracking device. They are also becoming more and more popular as camcorders and cameras.

The iPhone, by Apple, is certainly no exception. I've been an iPhone carrying fan-girl since August of 2008, and I am still crazy about my phone. (Note, I love my phone. The service provider? Not so much. But that's another story.)

The iPhone, in and of itself is a marvelous device, and the newer generations come equipped with delightful camera capabilities. Pair this with some fantastic apps and the images one can produce are endless.

Some of my favorite apps are Hipstamatic, SwankoLab, Photogene, and Pano. With these apps, I can create images that rival, in artistry if not pixel quality, some of the work taken with my pro level DSLR. And my iPhone is smaller and considerably lighter than said DSLR, thereby assuring it is always with me, allowing me to capture this stroll along the San Antonio Riverwalk:

(Stitched with Pano, processed with Photogene.)

And this snowy shot of our backyard after a freak snowstorm earlier this year in Grapevine, Texas:

(Stitched with Pano, processed with Photogene.)

Then there are these shots of the great New York City skyline:

(Stitched with Pano, processed with Photogene.)

(Stitched with Pano, processed with Photogene.)

And some of New York's amazing bridges:

(Processed with Photogene.)

(Processed with SwankoLab and Photogene.)

Shooting after one of North Texas tempestuous storms results in ultra vivid colors and gorgeous skies. Pair it with the über retro Hipstamatic and you get these:

(Created with Hipstamatic.)

(Created with Hipstamatic.)

When on vacation, the portability of one's phone, and these great apps, help create images like these:

(Created with Hipstamatic.)

(Created with Hipstamatic.)

On the golf course, there's so much more to see than the pin. These were shot at Wander Springs Golf Course, in Greenleaf, Wisconsin:

(Created with Hipstamatic.)

(Created with Hipstamatic.)

(Created with Hipstamatic.)

(Created with Hipstamatic.)

(Created with Hipstamatic.)

(Created with Hipstamatic.)

And finally, even portraits take on a new edge when processed through these great apps:

(Processed with Photogene.)

(Processed with Photogene.)

(Processed with Photogene.)

While the fundamentals of photography, composition, subject, and lighting, can't be completely disregarded, these apps and an iPhone can breathe new life into your random "happy snaps."

Here's to photography with your phones!

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Sans 3G

Those of you who are AT&T customers know the frustrations of a slow 3G connection, particularly if you're an iPhone user. Frustration levels rise and the threat to switch carriers is muttered, often amidst a string of expletives, for emphasis, with every sluggish web page load.

I know your frustrations because I, too, often find myself bemoaning the hit or miss service that is AT&T's 3G data service. That is, until my vacation in rural Wisconsin. In the small town by the lake that is Two Rivers, where one is lucky to see even one bar of service, Edge is king. And what a miserable, wretched king it is. With nary a bar to spare, signal was barely strong enough to make a call. As for any kind of Internet activity, fuggedahboutit! Even if you are able to tap into the various hotspots about town, you'll feel like you're back in the 80s on some long forgotten dial up service. To say it was painful is an understatement.

That being said, for a self proclaimed Internet junkie, it was a nice reprieve to be "disconnected" for a while. After reclaiming the time, I was able to read two books, spend quality time visiting with family and new friends, catch some yummy fish, and get in some much needed rest and relaxation. Not bad for a week's vacation.

The morale of my story? Besides I survived a week with limited connectivity? Ha! Yeah. My point is that the world, and life, should be experienced beyond the confines of Facebook, Twitter, and the rest of the Internet. Life, as it was meant to be experienced, should be touched, tasted, heard, and most of all, shared with the people you love. Go on. Break away from your computer screen or Internet enabled phone. Get outside and enjoy the sun. And if you're lucky enough to be within hugging distance of someone you love, reach out and give 'em a squeeze. You'll be glad you did.

Here's to disconnected holidays!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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The New Lighthouse

Some of our vacation was spent touring the Lake Michigan shoreline, hitting the many harbor towns and their wonderfully quaint shops. Along the way, I noticed, on our map, a myriad of lighthouses. Excited at the opportunity to photograph these wholly unique architectural marvels, I prepped my camera and bristled in my seat, trying hard to contain my enthusiasm.

As the first pier came into view, I eagerly lifted my camera and brought into focus the end of the pier, where one would expect to see a lighthouse. With my viewfinder trained on a lamp atop a metal pole, I panned the area looking for a red or white structure, with a Lamp and a Watch room gracing the top. Thinking I must have aimed the camera in the wrong direction, I pulled it down from my face and checked the skyline with my own eyesight. Even with my naked eyes, all I could see was the metal post with a light on top. In the exact spot where my beautiful, weathered lighthouse was supposed to be!

Ok. So this is a new, more modern lighthouse. The next town, which also boasted a lighthouse, surely would have the beautiful building I wanted for my photographs. So onward we went.

Alas, three harbor towns later and still no old timey lighthouse. Seems we're replacing the traditional lighthouses with these new, more inexpensive devices. In doing a bit of further research, I learned there's actually a practical reason for using this type of lighthouse, besides the obvious, reduced expenses. Seems the type of lighthouse being used on any given pier depends on the type of danger being presented to the mariner. Hmph. You learn something new every day.

I'm sure there are still some traditional lighthouses out there. Probably on the East coast. Maine, perhaps. And I'm pretty sure there's one in Mystic, Connecticut. I think I'll plan a lighthouse photographing trip soon. These wondrous edifices must be preserved, if only in art form.

Here's to saving the lighthouses!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

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A Quickie

We've been on vacation for near on two days now. And so far the highlight of our trip has been finding a Starbucks in a nearby neighboring town from where we're staying! Not really. But it is pretty exciting to have connectivity again. And the blended java drink I am sipping on as I type doesn't hurt either.

Life in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, is considerably slower than our day to day life. Seems people here aren't in a real hurry to do much of anything. Now this, in my humble opinion, is a good thing. Don't get me wrong. These folks work hard. During the crazy cold winter months I suspect life is excruciatingly hard, with harsh winters that keep people indoors for the better part of five months. But they take their life one day at a time, taking time out to enjoy the milder summer months on the lake, and refuse to get caught up in the hustle and bustle that consumes big city folk.

It's an adjustment, even for my husband and I. We find ourselves compelled to be doing something at pretty much all times: running, cycling, golfing, hydroplaning (more on the madness that is hydroplaning in a future post), fishing. See what I mean? I'm tired just writing about all the stuff we want to do.

Between you and I, what I really want to do is find myself a nicely shaded Adirondack chair on the beach, kick back with a big cup of coffee and my ebook, and read with the sound of Lake Michigan's waves crashing on the shore. I can't imagine anything more perfect, unless of course I can have a hammock nearby when the need for a nap takes over. Mmmm.... Yeah, must definitely make time for some down time. (Anyone else pondering the paradox of that besides me?)

This has been a delightful trip so far. I've enjoyed spending time with my husband, meeting family and friends he hasn't seen in maybe more than twenty years. And even all the stuff we're doing has been fun, because we're doing it together. Though I may have to take a pass on the hydroplaning. That looks crazy. I'll post photos later. You'll see.

Here's to downtime that's filled with new adventurers!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

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Crisp Cravings

One of the hardest things about reducing one's carb intake is finding suitable snacks when the need to nosh comes knocking. (You like that alliteration, don't ya'?) Sure, there's the old standby of raw almonds, full of protein and packed with crunch, but after a few days of eating these and chances are good you're looking for something else to satisfy the munchies.

Granted, when you're eating controlled portions of carbs, your blood sugars don't fluctuate much so you tend not to get those pesky cravings all that often. But believe you me, the time will come when you'll want to chomp on something salty, crunchy and, well, let's face it, unhealthy. Potato chips come to mind. Particularly the sea salt & vinegar variety. Oh my, have I a weakness for those. Obviously, these are not conducive to my weight loss efforts, thus I find myself often having to suppress the cravings for these delightful crisps. And on the days I can't fight the urge or it's been suppressed one too many times? Yeah, I cave and wind up eating the whole cracklin' bag. <hangs head in shame.>

Because I refuse to gain back any of the weight I've lost over the last 9 months, I am always on the lookout for healthy alternatives to the carb laden, salt & vinegar potato crisp. Terra has some tasty options in their chip line; their Taro chips and their Sweet Potato chips are among my favorites. Unfortunately, they are hard to find and though I'm sure I can get them online, they are pretty pricey at $3.98 for a 6 oz bag of Terra Taro Chips, and $3.75 for a 6 oz bag of Terra Sweet Potato chips where Kettle Salt & Vinegar chips average about $2.27 for a 5 oz bag. Like I said, pricey.

Lucky for me, there are alternatives to the alternatives. Wait, what? Yeah, so here's what I'm saying. I can make my own sweet potato chips, and probably my own taro chips if I could get my hands on a raw taro. I can even make my own zucchini chips, should I be so inclined. And guess what? I am inclined.

I am going to try my hand at making my own veggie crisps by way of a food dehydrator. I have access to one for 30 days, and plan to start with some sweet potato chips, some zucchini chips, and some strawberry chips. Yes, strawberry chips. Maybe lightly drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Seems like a pretty painless process, so the real test will be in the results. And I should have those for you on Friday. Join me on the road to healthy snacking, won't you?

Here's to clobbering crisp cravings!

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Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

I love to read. I don't often make time for it, but when I do get around to picking up my Kindle, I usually devour my books, particularly if they're good ones.

Also a social media addict, I joined Goodreads at the start of this year. Think of Goodreads as the Facebook of bookworms. It's a site that lets you add books you've read, are currently reading, or want to read. You can rate and review books you've already read. You can invite your friends to join and see what they're reading. You can swap books. And best of all, you can enter giveaways for books!

My good friend Summer, who is an avid reader and writes book reviews on her blog summertime, told me a while back that she'd won a few books from Goodreads giveaways. I was, I admit, a little jealous since I didn't even know they did giveaways on this site! Then, a few weeks ago, I found where on the site you can enter the giveaways, and let me tell you, they do a lot of giveaways. I entered my first one and would you believe? I WON!


Weirdest thing is that I won a book I had seen at Barnes and Noble on an outing with Summer, one that I considered buying and then decided to merely make note of and add to my Kindle wish list later. I hadn't gotten around to adding it to the wish list when I found the giveaway section on Goodreads (for those of you on the Goodreads site, it's under the Explore/Books section, towards the right side of the page!)

So yeah, I won a book I'd almost bought. The book is called One Season of Sunshine by Julia London. It's what I consider "fluff", or what Summer would call "brain candy." I haven't read it yet as I just received it today. And I was delighted to actually hold a book in my hands. I'd forgotten how much I like the smell of printed paper. You don't get that with the Kindle. Someone should create a scratch and sniff cover for the Kindle. One that smells like printed paper. Bonus points to the maker if the cover feels scratchy, like the pages of a well thumbed paperback. But I digress.

One Season of Sunshine is on my "to-read" list. It's currently third in my queue, right behind my current read, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larrson and my next read, Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen.

Oh, and I should tell you, if you win something on Goodreads, it's good form to actually read the book you win, and then rate the book and post a review. It's not required, by any means. It's merely the polite thing to do.

Expect my review of One Season of Sunshine in a month or so.

Here's to bookworms and free book giveaways!

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A New Adventure

My husband and I are about to embark upon a new adventure, I think. But before I tell you about it, I want to give you a bit of background.

When my husband and I bought our home, we prayed that it would be a house that served God, a house where the doors were always open to those in need. We intended it to be a place of ministry, and we try to always make it a place where God is honored and glorified. We've hosted Russians from our sister church in Penza, Russia. We've prepared holiday feasts for those that need a place to celebrate. We've held Bible study groups here. And now, we take on our newest, and possibly our biggest, adventure.

A friend of mine is currently going through some changes in her world. In an effort to make her life a little easier, we've offered her a place to live for a few months while she sorts out some stuff and figures out her next move. Yes, you read that right. We're getting a roommate. GULP.

I haven't had a roommate since 1989. And my husband has never had a roommate. This will prove to be interesting, I'm sure.

And though she's my friend, I know there will be some challenges, for her as much as for us. I've asked her for permission to blog about this experience, and she agreed (I think), provided I do not use her real name. Fair enough. I'll simply refer to her as Numero Cuatro. Number Four. It's my nickname for her, based on where she landed on my speed dial list.

So Numero Cuatro will be moving in sometime in August. She'll be staying in our guest room for about six months. She'll be sharing a bathroom with our cat. And she's not really a fan of cats. Challenge number one. Wonder how it will turn out? Stay tuned!

Here's to new adventures and getting my guest room cleaned out in two weeks!

Posted via BlogPress on my iPad

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Reality Check

In the northern part of Mexico there is a small town in the state of Nuevo Laredo called Ciudad Anáhuac. This town has a sister city just down the road and over a bridge. The town is called Rodriguez, and it was my dad's hometown. This is where his parents built a home, raised a family, entertained grandchildren, loved and lost a son, and later, where my grandfather was laid to rest.

It is the place that my dad still calls home, even after more than forty years of being in the States.

It is where I cracked open my uncle's skull when I caught him with a rock I was throwing into a pool for him and his friends to retrieve.

It is where my beloved grandmother gave me her beautiful gold ring so that I wouldn't feel left out when my brother was taken to the town fair and I was left behind.

It is where I learned of my somewhat [in]famous heritage.

It is where we mourned the passing of my uncle and my grandfather.

It is where I spent countless summers watching my grandmother make her amazing flour tortillas fresh for every meal. Where I watched her chase a chicken around the yard, shoo dogs out of the house, and toil lovingly and endlessly at the myriad of chores that made up life in this small, humble home.

It is a place that is currently under water.

This past weekend my parents traveled to Mexico to participate in the first Communion of their God daughter, my niece Alexandra. While there, they witnessed the mass damage caused by torrential rains in Monterrey and neighboring towns. The incessant rain from Hurricane Alex and it's remnants had beaten this metropolis into a soggy pulp. But that could not prepare them for what awaited them to the north.

On Monday, they made their way to my dad's hometown of Rodriguez to spend a few days with my grandmother and uncles. They arrived to a house full of people thrilled to see them and settled in for what they hoped would be a relaxing few days among family. As they settled in for dinner, city officials arrived to announce a mandatory evacuation of both Anáhuac and Rodriguez. The reason for the evacuation? The area dam, known officially as the Venustiano Carranza dam, but called Don Martín by the locals, was so full that it was at risk of breaking. Rather than deal with such a catastrophe, government officials opted to begin controlled releases of the overflow by opening twenty of the dam's twenty six floodgates. This meant releasing six hundred cubic meters of water per second into two small, humble towns made up on about forty five hundred homes and eighteen thousand people. Effectively, it meant flooding the towns. This would occur until the reservoir's water levels returned to more normal levels, and considering that the water from several tributaries was still gushing in from coastal rains brought on by another tropical depression, we were talking at least a week. I don't know if you can conceive what that looks like. I know I couldn't.

Then I found these images at www.milenio.com.

This first one is a before shot of the street where my grandmother lives, along with two uncles, one of which lives there with his wife and three daughters. Her house is the pink one on the right.

Photograph by Francisco Cantu

This second shot is from the next morning, after the dam's floodgates had been open for what I'm guessing is about twelve hours. You can see the house is nearly submerged in the dam's runoff.

Photograph by Francisco Cantu

This last image provides a side view of the land on which my grandmother's home sits. You'll note there is a second story structure towards the back of the property. This second story room sits on stilts of a sort and is taller than the original home. While the water had not yet reached this elevated room, keep in mind these images were shot not long after the dam draining process was started. I suspect it has since been submerged.

Photograph by Francisco Cantu

As for the bridge that connected these two cities? It's gone. Washed away in the raging waters released from the dam.

Even as I look at these images, I am unable to wrap my head around the complete devastation and loss. I hurt for my grandmother, who has spent a lifetime in this house, working tirelessly to make it a home and welcome refuge for all who entered. She has not seen these images, and I think it is just as well. She is currently staying in San Antonio with one of my aunts, and has my dad nearby to provide anything she may need. And while I'm sure she is grateful to be safe and dry, I also suspect she misses her home.

As for me? I am grateful that she is safe, that my parents were there to quickly mobilize the family and bring all our loved ones to safety. I am grateful for God's grace and mercy. I am humbled and reminded of what is truly important in life. And I am moved to action. I have begun exploring ways to help the people of these towns. More on this to come.

Here's to a reality check and doing something to help.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

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Something New

Can we talk? I mean, can we talk?!

I hate sweating. And when I say hate, I mean detest. Loathe. Sucks to be me, since living in Texas means you can plan to be sweaty at least seven to eight months out of the year. And if you actually want to be outside? Well, let's just say there will be times when you'll actually think you're melting.

Today, because I was being plagued by the mean crazies, again, I had to get over my hate and get outside, as the only thing that ever helps with the mean crazies is running. And not treadmill running in some stinky, stuffy gym. Oh good grief no.

What I needed was wide open space. The sky above me, the crazy hot road beneath my feet. The smell of honeysuckle, fresh cut grass, and someone grilling steaks. The sound of dogs barking and kids playing. The sun beating down on my face and shoulders. The heat crashing into my lungs like liquid fire with every breath. These are the things that help clear my head and spirit.

As my breathing started to follow the rhythmic pattern of my footfalls, and the sweat poured down my face, I was struck by something new. For the first time I can ever recall, I didn't mind the sweat. I almost welcomed it, feeling as if my own personal demons were being cleansed out of me along with the other toxins sweat clears out. There was something purifying happening, and it was overdue and so very welcome.

I almost didn't run today as a result of the mean crazies. Instead, I grit my teeth, gathered my will and determination, laced up my shoes, popped in some tunes and hit the road. I'm glad I did. Turns out I'm a slightly more clear headed person for it. I'm sure those around me are grateful.

Here's to a hot, sweaty run!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A Mother's Strength

Those who know me know I've always wanted to be a mom. I love kids and have imagined my life as a mother for more years than I can remember. Despite my deep desire to experience motherhood however, God has had other plans for me, and so far, these don't involve kids. At least not kids of my own. And every day I come a little closer to accepting that. After all, who am I to question God's will?

The thing of it is, in my dreams of being a mom, I always imagined the fun, rewarding part of motherhood. Never once did I stop to think of the challenges, sacrifices, the sleepless nights, the worrying, the helplessness when a child is sick or hurt. My version of motherhood involved only happy, butterfly kisses, chubby little arms thrown around my neck and a tiny voice saying, "I wub you mommy!", and sunny smiles. My teenage kids in this fantasy land? Well, they consider me and Kevin (my husband) their best friends! Hey, it's my fantasy, however unrealistic it may be.

But every now and then, I am reminded that my imaginings are just that. One never knows what you may be faced with as a parent, and no amount of imagining, or reading, or watching other parents, will ever prepare you for what motherhood really is.

The moms I know are strong. They are selfless women. They are the women I want on my side if we are attacked by zombies. They are not perfect, but they will strive tirelessly and unrelentingly to achieve some level of perfection when it comes to their children. They will sacrifice themselves if it means health and happiness for their kids. They know no bounds of love, and they have my complete admiration. When I look around at the moms in my life, I am reminded of the work that motherhood is, and I am humbled by the grace, patience and untiring love these woman exhibit, even when things get rough.

I am writing this because I want to give a shout out to all the moms in my life; friends and family alike. You ladies are amazing and you are deeply admired and respected. And to that one woman who is facing an especially challenging situation, and you know who you are, to you I say, "God is with you. Your children are lucky to have you. You are a rock, a light, a safe place for your children and husband. You are amazing! Hold fast to God's promise to be with you always, and know that He has a plan, and His plan is good because He is good." And to the rest of you wonderful ladies, hats off to you. The gift card companies got it wrong. Mother's Day should be every day.

Here's to my mom and all the other moms in my life - you ladies ROCK!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

A Cure All

Welcome to Texas summer, where an early June day will greet you with 92 degree temperatures and 55% humidity, and it only gets hotter and steamier from here.

Today, because I had a head full of the crazies, I decided it was time to get back to running. Yes, in the aforementioned heat and humidity. Yes, I'm a little crazy. Okay, a lot. But that's really beside the point, don't you think?

But I digress. My craziness is not the point of the post, at least not this post.

With my shoes laced up, my running tunes queued and ready to play, I headed out, jaw set, chin high, and ready to run into the sunset. As my feet hit the pavement, I could hear the crazies in my head shouting for my attention, a mad, swirling mob doing its best to distract me. With every step I tried to drown out the insanity. And would you believe? The longer and harder I ran, the easier it became to eradicate the lunacy lurking in the cobwebbed corners of my mind. Until the sun and humidity made me feel as if I was sucking down massive quantities of watery air with each painful breath. And after another quarter mile? Focus was fixated on breathing and making sure my knees and ankles didn't give out on me, or I didn't re-injure my feet and wind up with plantar fasciitis again, or my brain didn't completely melt in the crazy heat.

I may not have completely eliminated the crazies that like to camp out in my mind but I've at least stomped them into submission long enough to get me sanely to the next run. And I'm convinced that running, or walking, or cycling, or any other form of exercise in the sweltering outdoors of a Texas summer will cure just about anything life can throw my way.

Here's to the all natural, and completely legal, endorphin high!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The Need for Normal

Ever exam just how much energy we expend in an effort to appear normal? We work so hard at trying to fit in, molding ourselves to whatever society calls normal, which of course is also ever changing. It's exhausting, don't you think?

It feels, more and more, like normal is often defined, in large part, by one's ability to keep up with the Joneses. Not just from a materialistic, do-you-have-the-newest-of-everything perspective, but also from appearances, from family life, from the job you have, the friends you keep. Even the church you attend. We spend so much time looking to the sides to see what everyone else has or is doing that we forget to look at ourselves, to recognize within ourselves the incredible person God created us to be.

I've struggled with self image issues my whole life. Self esteem? At times, non-existent. Self identity? Often looked in the mirror and realized I had no clue who the person looking back at me was. All this, of course, because I was so busy trying to use society's yardstick for measuring who I was.

It's much easier to just be me, the flawed but loving woman God intended me to be. Rather than strive to fit in to society's standard of normal, I'm going to be abnormal and pray for God's acceptance. After all, He promises to love me no matter what. Can society do that? I doubt it.

So here's what I say: let your freak flag fly! Be who you are, even if it contradicts who society is telling you to be. It's considerably easier and way more fun! (Even as I write that, it looks weird!)

Here's to the real you (and me)!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I'm BAAACK. Well, Sort Of.

Sorry I haven't been around much lately. It's been a busy few weeks and this last week I had a lovely (NOT) bout of food poisoning. Nasty stuff, I gotta tell you. Between the stomach cramps and the clammy fever, I was ready for someone, anyone to put me out of my misery.

In the midst of the crazy weeks and delusional sleep induced by illness, I've come up with some new blog topics that I hope to cover here in the upcoming weeks, so please, stay tuned!

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Cosmetics Giveaway - Winners!

Happy Tuesday, everyone!
I've drawn the winners of the giveaway of A Few of My Favorite Things - The Makeup Edition. Thanks to everyone for sharing your favorite cosmetics with me - some of these are already in my makeup kit, others I will be trying soon!


Now, let's take care of business, shall we? After all, it's why you're here! :)


The three winners of the C.O. Bigelow Mentha Organics Sheer Lip Tint in Barely There are:


AJSands -
My favorite makeup item is lipstick because I think a splash of color can do wonders. I experiment quite a bit and change my colors depending on season, mood, or amount of tan, but I keep coming back to an old tube of Bobbi Brown. I'm not sure the color name (I'm gonna have to go see now!) but it always seems to be perfect. Geez, I hope they still make that shade...


Rachel -
Any MAC shadow is SO much fun, but also L'oreal HIP cream eyeliner. Goes on smooth, doesnt move. Have to be careful not to let it dry out in the jar though!
We are gonna have to get that "make up forever"!! I wanna try it!!


Joy McCarty -
Don't leave the house without BareMinerals Foundation. I tried the matte but always come back to the original. I love that it has SPF. It's the ONLY makeup I wear everyday!

And the winner of one of my favorite makeup items, winner's choice, is....

SK -
I still love my mascara - Christian Dior DiorShow mascara in black. :) 
But I definitely want to try the LashWow stuff sometime!

Congratulations to all the winners! Please email me at dyclement05@gmail.com to claim your prize! (And please be sure to email me from the email you used in your contest entry!)


Here's to trying out some new makeup in the next week or so!

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Another iPad review

There are tons of iPad reviews out there. Most written by folks way more technically savvy than I am. Nonetheless I am giving you the low down on this gadget of gadgets, mostly because some of you asked, but also because I think reviews from people we know, our friends, family, co-workers, are a little more meaningful than those of a random stranger, technical prowess or not.

Oh, and for those of you that aren't Apple fans, I will do my best to keep this review impartial. Be forewarned however, I will likely fail as I am a big fan of Job-sy and his minions in Cupertino.

Also, I have the 3G + wi-fi version so my review will cover this model only.

Aesthetics
The iPad is, without a doubt, beautiful in it's simplicity. A delicately curved back make it feel comfortable in your hands and at 1.6 pounds it feels solid without being heavy. Lightly curved corners and super clean lines are form factors borrowed from the iPhone and iPod touch, making this device feel right at home in your hands, and already extremely familiar.

Screen
The screen is super crisp however it is definitely a smudge and fingerprint magnet. If you're planning on buying one of these babies, go ahead and get the Apple Polish cleaning kit. The microfiber cleaning cloth will keep you OCD types happily cleaning the smudges off your screen.

Now while the smudges are really noticeable when the device is off, you can't really see them when it's on and to be quite honest, most of the times I'm looking at the screen, it's because my iPad is on. That being said however, the super glossy screen is difficult to view in direct sunlight as it's highly reflective and if you want to see it, expect to set the brightness level as bright as it will go. This is probably the biggest thing that will keep this device from eating up the eReader competition, in my humble opinion.

Keyboard
I should preface this part of the review by telling you that I love physical keyboards, particularly because I'm a really fast typer. Typist? Whatever, you know what I mean. When the iPhone was first introduced I was loathe to give up the physical keyboard on my smartphone, and it took a long time before I jumped on the iPhone bandwagon. Once I got used to the virtual keyboard however, real keyboards, on smartphones anyway, felt clunky to me. While I can't say the virtual keyboard on the iPad will ever be a full replacement for my physical keyboard, I can tell you that typing on it is quite easy, and, for me anyway, completely delightful. And almost as fast as typing on my physical keyboard, but with the added bonus of auto-correction and a keyboard that gets "smarter" the more I use it, adapting to my keystrokes.

Innards
Ok, so as I mentioned before, there are plenty of iPad reviews out there, most providing a much more technical breakdown than anything I have to offer. What I can tell you about the processing speed of this thing is that it is fast. I loaded all four gigabytes of my NYC photos and started flipping through them using the native Photos app, and good grief, this device was able to keep up with me. I could skim through all the photos and land on one, and my iPad would load and crystallize it within a second.

Surfing the web is also a lovely experience on the iPad, whether on 3G or on wi-fi. I was able to catch up on all of my ABC shows without nary a hiccup in the streaming feed.

Missing Stuff
Much ado has been made about the things the iPad lacks; Flash support, multi-tasking, a camera. Let's tackle each of these, shall we?

Flash Support
I have not really felt the lack of Flash support, mostly because I don't use sites like hulu.com much, however I'd be lying if I told you I didn't miss Flash at all. There are a few sites I occasionally browse that apparently use Flash, and it's a real pain that Apple can't learn to play nicely with Adobe.

Multi-tasking
After almost two years of using the iPhone, a lack of multi-tasking is something I just don't notice. At all. Seriously. Most of what I do on my iPad is single threaded, and when I do need to switch between apps, the responsiveness is so immediate that I hardly notice that I had to leave one app to get to another. That being said, I am thrilled that Apple has figured out a way to introduce some level of multi-tasking without compromising the speed and stability of their OS, and look forward to its release for both my iPhone and iPad later this year.

Camera
I never did understand why the lack of a camera was a big deal for the iPad. After all, would you want to hold a 1.6 pound magazine sized camera up in front of your face to take photos? Yeah. Me neither. But I will tell you that the lack of a forward facing camera for video conferencing is a huge miss on Apple's part. This device is made for video conferencing, and a forward facing camera should have been included. I know they probably omitted it intentionally, will add it to the second gen iPad, and pity us early adopter fools. To this I say, "Shame on you Apple. Shame on you."

Other Stuff
I think I've covered all the big ticket items on the iPad, both included and missed, and after nearly a month with it, I can honestly say I love it. There are, however, a few things I'd like to see changed on it, some that I think will be covered when OS 4.0 is released. Here's a quick overview of my iPad wish list of improvements:

- Merged calendars
- Merged mailboxes
- Wireless sync to both my Macbook and my iPhone
- Ability to create folders or group apps and web pages
- Ability to store books in the cloud, for free (like Amazon's Kindle)
- Ability to "flip" pages on my calendar, like a book (this one is such a no brainer! I can't believe Apple didn't design the calendar to do this!!)
- Forward facing camera

All in all, I think the iPad is a beautiful piece of innovation, and while it is well thought out and beautifully put together, it is still a device in its infancy. To those contemplating buying one, I would say ask yourself what your intended use is first. Do not expect this lovely device to be a full on replacement of your computer, unless of course your computer is used primarily to consume media and the web. If you're looking for a great entertainment device, something portable and easily used by everyone in the family, then I highly recommend the Apple iPad.

I hope you found this review to be helpful and if you have any questions I'll be happy to answer them, just post a comment in the comments section and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. And whatever you decide to make your media consumption gadget of choice, happy surfing, Facebooking, Twittering, movie-watching, eBook reading, photo viewing to all!

Here's to innovation and technology!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Small Town Fairs

This weekend, our small town had one of it's many annual street fairs, the newly renamed Outdoor Adventure Days, formerly known as Main Street Days. Truth be told, I like the old name better. Gave it a more small town feel.

The fair is held on the historic part of our town's Main Street, in the heart of downtown Grapevine. A perfect spot with it's old timey shop façades, small boutique shopping and mostly non-franchised dining choices. The streets are blocked off, the booths, mostly food, drink, and arts and crafts, are brightly lit to attract and lure the merry fair goers.

Despite an exhausting bout with allergies this week, I put on a happy face and joined my husband and some friends the first night, and family the second night. Despite the sneezing and stuffy head, I had a great time. There's something about carnival food, bright lights, and the peal of children laughing as they are spun into dizzy oblivion that just makes me feel better, no matter how much my sinuses try to rain on my parade.

We started our small town fair adventure with my husband snapping a rare shot of me without a camera in front of my face.

I quickly reclaimed my camera to shoot this delightful shot of our friend Steve and his precious daughter Sofia.

Sofia is quite the ham. Can you tell?

The art and craft booths had awesome things you could buy; this particular ensemble caught my eye. If I had a stick figure, I'd totally buy this. And wear it. Often. 

No street fair is complete without at least one Funnel Cake booth. In the case of our small town fairs, there's usually three or four.

Fair goers love their funnel cake.

One of the things I love about the street fairs in our small town is that the shops and restaurants all stay open later than usual, and the places are all lit up, which gives them a special charm.

Window shopping is especially fun - the windows all look fantastic. And I just love the little outfit on the right, hat and all.

The skirt on the right in this window? LOVE IT. WANT IT. Will need to lose 100 pounds to wear it.

And then there's the midway. No street fair is complete without it.

The only ride my stuffed head could manage was the Ferris Wheel, which afforded a lovely shot of the fair grounds from way on high.

This little girl caught my heart, her eyes big as saucers and probably terrified of the flying machine ride, but determined to ride nonetheless.

Our friends Steve and Sofia also felt the urge to fly.

After Steve and Sofia returned to terra firma, our other friend Rusty volunteered to take Sofia for a bumper car ride. 

Sofia eyed their next target with sheer glee.

The next day, we hit the fair again, but this time with family. My nephew, Hilton, shooting for a giant, stuffed basketball. He missed.

My husband, tongue between his lips, faired no better than Hilton.

Neither did Kim, my sister in law. Hmm. She had her tongue between her lips too. A family trait, maybe? 

And then there's this face. She wanted no part of shooting hoops. She had her mind set on bigger things.

There was the roller coaster. Fearless.

Yeah. Fearless. Until you get off looking like this.

Thank God that look isn't permanent.

Next on the ride agenda, Wipeout. Which is what Hilton looked like when the thing started moving backwards for him. We thought for sure Kevin and Heidi would be wearing his lunch.

He held it together. And looked like this when the ride was over. I think maybe he threw up in his mouth a little. Maybe.

Height check to make sure she could ride alone. "Look Ma', I'm SO tall!

Let's go fly!

"What's next?"

Tilt-A-Whirl. Uncle Kevin likes to make it spin!

Lean left. LEFT!!!

Now right! RIGHT!!

Tilt-A-Whirl twisty faces.

Uncle Kevin, always up for some fun with the kiddos.

Last ride of the night, the Sizzler. All is well as we start the ride.

Danger! Danger! Centrifugal force mashing me to the outer edge!

Must. Resist. Urge. To. Melt. Into. Centrifugal. Powers.

Will. Pull. My. Self. Back. To. Center.

I. Give. Up. The. Force. Wins.

Way more fun when you just LET GO!

Man! This thing moves.

Spinning is so relaxing.

And now the other way. WHEEEEEEE!

Staying safe on the ground, with stomach and heart intact. Love the in-laws!

The Palace Theatre presents another Variety Show. Maybe it's time to check this place out.

By the time we were ready for food, I was worn out. Fun summer nights, but man, I could do without the tree pollens! 

Here's to small town fairs and carnival food!

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