January 31, 2009

saturday super snapshot...




Holly (who has an awesome blog) makes amazing cakes. And I've been watching a bit of Ace of Cakes on the Food Network. I'm a creative person (note, I did not say artistic, I will not claim that). And I hate spending so much money on fancy cakes from Walmart (or wherever) that just aren't that cool, even if they have nice looking frosting. So, for Will and Kayla's join party, I agreed to make a cake.

First off, let's just say that the directions for the marshmallow fondant were a bit misleading. Second, sticky doesn't even begin to cover what that mixture was.

But I have a cake. A castle cake. It's cool. Don't even try to knock it, because I will send the flying monkeys to mock you until you repent :P .

January 24, 2009

the truth comes out...

I think that about sums up the world...

January 23, 2009

Parental Nerves...

I've been writing for a long time. But it's been a long while since I've submitted my work to publishers (with the exception of my haiku poems, written in college, and published last year in an e-journal). But this week, I sent out work.

It's like sending your first-born off to boarding school--it kills you to wave goodbye, let them get on that bus, and wait for school to get out.

I sent three poems to Poetry magazine, and a short-story to Glimmer Train.

And now, I'm sitting on pins and needles, waiting to hear back (which, with luck, will happen in 3-4 months).

January 17, 2009

saturday snapshot...

These are my writing supplies for 2009. A 2009 Writer's Market, a cool Post-It highlighter/pen/sticky note, awesomeful markers, and inside that purple thing I have manilia folders that hold my writing!

January 15, 2009

playing at the mall...

So last week, Shelly called and asked me to hang with her and the kids for the day. After a lunch at Chick-Fil-A, we headed to the mall. Shelly wanted to go to Old Navy. Kayla decided to try her knee at modeling.Then Jake and Will got into the game. Love that look on Kay's face. Oh are her parents in trouble!
And I thought the mannequins did such a great job--too bad my pics are blurry. Camera is a bit finicky, especially when you aren't using a flash.

We had a great time.

January 13, 2009

have you ever...

I found this on a blog I stumbled upon. And since I love lists, well, thought I’d give this one a go. I took it as a have you ever done these things. Take it as you like.

01. Start your own blog — Yes. I have several now. Several meaning at least four.

02. Sleep under the stars — Yes—several times.

03. Play in a band — Yes, in elementary school, and jr. high.

04. Visit Hawaii — No

05. Watch a meteor shower — Yes—amazing.

06. Give more than you can afford to charity — Yes. And it was worth it.

07. Go to Disneyworld — Yes

08. Climb a mountain — No

09. Hold a praying mantis — No

10. Sing a solo — Yes… more than one. Unfortunately for all of you.

11. Bungee jump — No—with no real desire at all to do it.

12. Visit Paris — No

13. Watch a lightning storm at sea — No, but I would love to.

14. Teach yourself an art technique — Yes, if photography counts.

15. Adopt a child — No

16. Eat sushi — No, and again, no real desire.

17. Walk to the top of the Statue of Liberty — They don’t let you do this anymore—but I took the elevator as far as they would let me, and hobbled down all those steps. So I say Yes.

18. Grow your own vegetables — Yes

19. See the Mona Lisa in France — No

20. Sleep on an overnight train — No

21. Have a pillow fight — No

22. Hitch hike — Yes. In Africa.

23. Look at the rings of Saturn through a telescope — No

24. Build a snow fort — Yes

25. Hold a lamb — Yes

26. Climb to the top of a lighthouse — No

27. Run a Marathon — No—and it’s unlikely I ever will—compliments of running-induced asthma.

28. Ride in a gondola in Venice — No

29. See a total eclipse — Yes

30. Watch a sunrise or sunset — Yes

31. Hit a home run — Not that I recall

32. Go on a cruise — Only if Jungle Cruise at Disney counts—otherwise, No, not yet

33. See Niagara Falls in person — No

34. Visit the birthplace of your ancestors — No

35. Visit an Amish community — No

36. Teach yourself a new language — No

37. Have enough money to be truly satisfied — No

38. See the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person –No

39. Go rock climbing — No

40. See Michelangelo’s David — No

41. Sing karaoke in public — Yes

42. See Old Faithful geyser erupt in person — Yes

43. Buy a stranger a meal at a restaurant — No, but I might try that sometime.

44. Visit Africa — Yes

45. Walk on a beach by moonlight — No

46. Ride in a helicopter — No

47. Have your portrait painted — No

48. Go deep sea fishing — No

49. See the Sistine Chapel in person — No

50. Go to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris — No

51. Go scuba diving or snorkeling — No—well, at Disney, but that was in a pool, so No.

52. Kiss in the rain — No

53. Play in the mud — Yes

54. Watch a movie at a drive-in theater — No

55. Be in a movie — Yes (it didn’t say Hollywood—and I was in a short film for a play at church).

56. Visit the Great Wall of China — No

57. Start a business — No

58. Take a martial arts class — Yes

59. Visit Russia — No

60. Serve meals at a soup kitchen — Yes

61. Sell Girl Scout cookies/Boy Scout popcorn — Yes

62. Go whale watching — Yes, and had an amazing time.

63. Get or send flowers for no reason — No

64. Donate blood, platelets or plasma — Yes

65. Go sky diving — No

66. Visit a Nazi Concentration Camp — No.

67. Adopt a pet from a rescue shelter — No

68. Pilot an airplane — No

69. Save a favorite childhood toy — Yes

70. Visit the Lincoln Memorial — Yes

71. Eat Caviar — No

72. Make a quilt — I’ve tried, but quilting is not my cup of tea. I’ve crocheted blankets--

73. Stand in Times Square — Yes

74. Tour the Everglades — No

75. Visit the Viet Nam Memorial — Yes

76. See the Changing of the Guard in London — No

77. Drive a race car — No—but I could, if I asked my uncle real nice like…

78. Ride on a speeding motorcycle — No

79. See the Grand Canyon in person — Yes

80. Publish a book — Not yet

81. Visit the Vatican — No

82. Buy a brand new car — Yes

83. Walk in Jerusalem — No, but I would love to.

84. Have your picture in the newspaper — Yes

85. Read the entire Bible — Yes

86. Visit the White House — Yes--didn't go inside, but stood outside.

87. Kill and prepare an animal for eating — Yes

88. Hike the Appalachian Trail — No

89. Save someone’s life — Not that I know of—but I’ve given blood many times…

90. Sit on a jury — Not yet, but I so want to.

91. Meet someone famous — Yes

92. Join a book club –No

93. Own an iPod — No

94. Have a Facebook page — Yes (oh the shame of it—and this will go on FB)

95. See the Alamo in person — No

96. Swim in the Great Salt Lake — No

97. Cross country snow ski — No

98. Hold a snake — Yes

99. See DaVinci’s Starry Night in person — This cracks me up—we all know that Van Gogh painted Starry Night, right? And No, haven’t seen it in person.

100. Read an entire book in one day — Yes—many many many books…

Now go and answer these on your own blogs!

January 10, 2009

saturday snapshots...

This was almost my picture of the day for Project365, but the ice picture trumped it. It's hard to pick one sometimes! But I love the way the light is playing here, nice and subtle. And the sadness of the broken swing. And wow, no other updates this week. Sorry about that.

January 3, 2009

saturday snapshot...

On the first, I took a walk at night to get a picture for my project365. The moon was out, and I wanted to see if I could capture it. I used the "candle" setting, and this was the result. I love how you can see some of the branches and trees that were in the shot!

January 2, 2009

a new project for a new year...

So, last year a friend, one Dianna by name, kept hounding me to do Project365. What is Project365, you ask. Well, it's a challenge to take one picture every day for a year. Dianna was doing it. But being my OCD self, I couldn't start in the middle of the year. Or even a week into the year. I had to wait.

But now it's a new year. And I took a picture yesterday. So I'm on the way!

I set up a new blog (I know, I have so many already! But blogs are easier to store than shoes, so I don't think my fetish is too bad!) and would love for you to stop by. You'll see the world I see--beware! It's found at Flutterby365.

I'll still do Saturday Snapshots here--in fact, I might use my favorite shot of the week! Or maybe one of the "bungled" photos that didn't make the daily cut. Who knows! Stop by often to see!