Thursday, December 30, 2010

Wedding story

Alright, here it is. The showcase for the first wedding I've photographed (many of these are Mom's too, teamwork is a wonderful thing). I am very pleased with how this turned out, it was a perfect day for them.

NOTE: I have been fully immersed in the sweet sappiness of wedding music and photos far too long. Now that I'm basically done I need a strong dose of tackle football or something equally rough and bloody. Who's in?



Also, my website is up. I have some adjustments to make, but you can view it now. www.happinesscaptured.com

Monday, December 27, 2010

Recipe: Crescent Turkey Casserole

I am not known for my cooking, so this is worth sharing. I took it to Youth Group and they inhaled it. A couple of people have been aggressively asking for the recipe.

I am on Cloud 9! :-)

(a Taste of Home recipe)
Crescent Turkey Casserole

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup Mayonnaise
  • 4 Tbs. Flour
  • 1 Chicken Bouillon Cube
  • 1/4 tsp. Pepper
  • 1 1/2 Cup Milk
  • Approx. 3 cups cubed cooked Turkey
  • 1 Pkg. frozen Mixed Veggies, thawed (I just used fresh cauliflower & celery)
  • 1 Tube refrigerated Crescent Rolls
Directions:
In a large saucepan, combine the mayo, flour, bouillon and pepper. Gradually add milk; stir until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add turkey & vegetables; cook 3-4 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Spoon into a greased 9x13 pan.
Unroll crescent dough and separate into two rectangles. Seal seams and perforations. Place over turkey mixture. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

(Note: I used smoked turkey and it was delicious. Also, my mayonnaise separated when cooking, so I skimmed off the orange oil that wouldn't mix in.)

I can cook. I can cook. I can cook. I can cook. I can cook. I can cook. I can cook. They say if you tell yourself something enough you start to believe it, and that's probably half the battle. I can cook. I can cook. I can cook....

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

It strikes again.

The stinkin' girly-ness.

Last week, at Cubbies on Tuesday night, I was reading the little sweet peas a story. We do that every week, its nothing unusual. I've got story time for all of December. Usually they squirm and stir and interject with random thoughts they have.

But last week, as I was reading the story, I was absolutely overwhelmed. It was all I could do not to break down in tears in front of all 15 of those sweet little faces. This has never happened before. I really, really struggled to pull myself together. The story was one I've read them before, about a little boy who finds a stray puppy, and the puppy ends up saving the family's life in a fire. I think I just got too in-to-it... too much emotion and inflection into the reading. Its funny, the kids didn't fidget at all, and they all looked slightly starry eyed when I was done. One imploringly asked if we could read it again tomorrow.
We had a lot going on the last two weeks - I chalk it up to that.

But this week. Pff. There's no excuse. Tonight, I was reading them a story about a little girl who selflessly gave her favorite doll to an orphan. About halfway through, I had to start choking back the tears. "What on earth is wrong with me?" I wondered. As I was telling Kristy about this later, I realized what happened tonight. I was reading a story about a missionary family that was ministering in an orphanage. I was to be in Moldova loving little sweet peas in an orphanage this week. I thought I was over it, but apparently I'm not. Its okay and God knows best, I can love little sweet peas here just as thoroughly. An interesting tidbit about His timing... a few days ago we were to have a 7 hour layover in Rome (enough time to traipse about), and that very day the news headlines were fraught with news of riots and unrest in Rome. God is good and the ultimate protector.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Swatch

I have a list this week.
1. Finish "The Dress." Check out this fabric swatch! Isn't is gorgeous? (bad light, but you get the idea)

I have been working on this poor dress for a few years. It started as this weird period costume (what was I thinking?) with a massive skirt a few years ago, but I became afraid of it. Afraid A: because where on earth would I wear it? and B: because I made it too small I think. So, after a year or so of walking by it and pretending not to see it, I decided to start over. There was enough fabric in the skirt alone to cut out an entirely different dress. I got pretty far on it, but then got to a point where I would have to ask Kristy for help. Thus it has sat for several months. Unfortunately I'm independent.
It's going to be way classy. I've already overused all of my expressive words today, so I have to leave it at that.

2. The wedding pictures. This is so hard because I want to do a good job of selecting and presenting them. Could I just say "here" and give them a disk with all the original photos? Absolutely not. Unfortunately I'm a perfectionist.

3. My business website. Unfortunately I'm a perfectionist. I've had the site all but done 3 times now, only to decide I can't stand it ... leading to a fresh start.

Monday, December 13, 2010

wedding jitters

I have avoided looking at the wedding photos from Saturday for two days.
I looked tonight.
All I can say is... I so very much wish I knew how to do a cartwheel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Yahoo! Cowabunga! Yipee! Hooray!" I wish I had a canyon to squeal into!

Happy clappin'.
Happy dancin'.
Happy gaspin'.

It will be a bit before I share any, its only fair that the bride and groom see them first, and they're... well... not here right now.

If you are afraid to try something that's too big, I encourage you to take the plunge. It is so worth it. God can help you. His strength is made perfect in weakness.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Dan & Renee family

Another family photo shoot, album linked here.
(fun fact: I went to kindergarten with Dan... and now I teach his little girl in Cubbies.  That's insane.  When did we get this old?)














This was extremely hard.  I had no idea what its like trying to take family photos with 3 young children that have the attention span of a gnat and the cooperation of a mule.  (I am NOT speaking ill of this family, I think its probably something that cameras bring out in most normal kids)

* Settings?  My camera has different settings?  I forgot.
* Make sure you can see Baby's face? I forgot.
* That cool "circle" formation I wanted to try in posing?  I forgot.
* White balance?  I forgot.
* Focus on purpose?  I forgot.
* Group tight?  I forgot.

Oh well.  Got some pretty good ones anyway.  I have a secret trick, but I'll never tell.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

the shot

Once in awhile, I take a picture that stuns me. It was an accident. I didn't know it happened. I didn't set it up. I didn't adjust my settings to capture it. I didn't pose anyone.


It just is. Amazing.
(click to view high quality)


















I'll post more pictures of this family in the morning.

I am lovin' this place I'm at in life.
{insert huge grin that won't fit on this page}
woWEE!

Photoshop tip

Some of you may use Photoshop. I do every day in the design world.
I got this tip from Photoshop User TV a few years ago, and everytime I use it I want to run out and find the person that created it and hug them - thankfully I can't because they would probably find that to be creepy.

........................................
When using a brush / eraser / etc.
use the { or } keys
to make the brush larger or smaller.
(This probably works the same in Photoshop Elements too)
........................................

There you have it.
It's the simple things. :-)

Monday, December 6, 2010

Her laugh.

Meet Kristine. My sister-in-law.
I'm so glad Clayton found her. I'm glad she's his wife. I'm glad God brought their hearts together.

BUT... I am also glad that she's MY sister-in-law. Kristy and I have found an additional best friend in Kristine. How many best friends can you have? Apparently more than one. There's Dana, and Kristy, and Kristine, and Jayme ... hopefully someday Mr. Right. So I guess at least 5. You see who your best friends truly are only after the friendship has been tried in the furnace. These friends have come through like gold.

Kristine. She's got that laugh that makes a whole room full of people take notice. I can't describe it. I hear it in my dreams occasionally, it just bubbles up from deep down inside of her. I do the stupidest things to make her laugh. I tell on myself, the most embarrassing stories, to make her laugh. I once painted my face completely black to surprise her and make her laugh at 4:30 in the morning. It took me three days to get that black paint out of my pores. Acne flare-up? Uh, yeah. Was it worth it? Totally.


She laughs at my inability to take compliments.
She laughs when I button my super amazing cute classy coat crooked at church.
She laughs when I say I'm upset with someone.
She laughs when I say I've told someone where the rubber meets the road. She thinks I couldn't tell off a fly.

Friday night at youth group, I was sitting visiting with someone and we just stopped talking and sat there listening to Kristine laugh. It was beautiful. I love how happy Jesus Christ makes people. Brandon said it best, while most of their team was standing in "Jail" during dodge ball... "Kristine's laugh is like the ultimate moral booster."

You need to hear it if you haven't.
It is music to my ears.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

on good ground: DOOR

Two posts in one day, wow, you'd think I would have more important things to do with my time.

This is too good, I had to share.  Maybe it won't mean anything to you, but God gave it to me today, similar to Dana's 4 leaf 'promise' clover recently.

As I was cleaning out my home office, I found a whole notebook full of sermon notes from the Bible Conference 2007.  This message from Pastor Doug Fisher jumped off the page and smacked me in the face, I was blessed.  Again, sorry for the disconnected notes, I get so engrossed during church sometimes I forget to take good notes.  Kristy and I really enjoy Pastor Fisher's messages, they run very deep and get right to your heart.
..........................................................................................................................................................
"DOOR"
Duet. 29:2 And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land;

Deu 29:3 The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles:
Deu 29:4 Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.
Acts 14:27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
Acts 10:10- (Peter and the sheet of animals let down from heaven)
 
About Doors:
  • The big doors get more people involved.
  • You won't understand right away.
  • Don't marry a guy that has it all figured out.  That puts a lid on your goals.
  • Doubt is okay.
 
Doors that didn't look like doors in the Bible:
  • Saul looking for lost donkeys, it led to the throne
  • Joseph in the pit, saved a nation from starvation
  • David taking food to his brothers, ended up killing a giant, hailed a hero
 
Ask God for a heart to perceive what's going on in your life.
.......................................................................................................................................................
 
I needed this, I'm so glad God hid it in one of my junk piles for me to find today.

goodbye 18

I cleaned out my closet.
You know how you open a new chapter in life sometimes, and you feel the need to clean out a very old one?
Yep. I had to let go of the exciting year of 18. That was a different life than the one I'm living now. I was on top of the world and had the confidence of a queen. I was one of five state 4-H officers, which in my limited scope of reality meant I had arrived. I was a mentor, and a teacher, a motivational speaker, and a leader of teens statewide. I was popular and pretty, assertive and bubbly, concieted and proud. And God was nowhere to be found on my list of priorities. Thankfully He sought me out a short time later.

Anyways, if I could go back to 18 & smack myself upside the head for some of the clothes I wore, I'd do it.
  • Goodbye shorty shorts from the dark depths of my bottom drawer.
  • Goodbye big sweater with a cat's face on it (I don't like cats, but it was a gift from childhood so it took a long time to let go)
  • Goodbye dark pinstriped power suits with big ol' shoulder pads and short skirts
  • Goodbye sassy slogan shirts (most)
  • Goodbye too-short summer dresses
  • Goodbye... no wait. Stay a little longer REALLY CUTE SHOES
  • Goodbye beautiful sparkly blue formal dress with scratchy poofy lining. I was a princess with your help. (however, I would NOT want my daughters playing dress-up in you. Modest you were not)
  • Goodbye excessive copies of the basic dark blue shirt, because I have wayyyyyy too many.
Don't worry, I didn't get rid of ALL the princess dresses.
I kept a few formals after I wore them around the house for a bit. I hope I never get too old to like playing dress up. Nope, I'm keeping them. I'll find a reason to wear them for real again. The inaguaral ball for instance.
Kristy laughed at me. But I don't care. Its fun to feel young and pretty, even if its just for a minute in your own house.

Goodbye 18, hello 25.