Weekend of photos

Back home now...with a photo representation of the weekend!



Like I said before, I went over to a bridal shop in downtown Seattle and tried on a groomswoman dress for my friend Donny's wedding. It is designed to be the same style as the bride's bridesmaids' dresses, just black with an accent color similar to that of the mens' ties. I got it all pinned up and ready to be sewed up, so I just have to make it over there once more to do a final try-on before the wedding in the unlikely event that something else needs to be fixed.

And now the more humorous stuff.



The three of us left their apartment on Saturday afternoon for lunch and I got in the back seat of Elizabeth's Mazda 3 and lying on the seat I was to be putting my butt on was one of those disgustingly real-looking fake limbs commonly seen at Halloween. Apparently Elizabeth had provided one of those for a Halloween party for her church of all places, but left it in the car. (Halloween was 9 months ago, mind you...) So when we arrived to lunch, we decided to try and confuse the hell out of passer-byers.

Then later on that day we went to the store and got makins for a yummy dinner...



Okay, so we didn't use the leg for dinner, but we did use some pasta, spaghetti sauce and meat for some delicious spaghetti and meatballs with authentic french bread! I outdid myself once again!

We went for breakfast this morning...



WHAT! OKAAAY!

Then, I go home today and see that Tucker decided to sleep ALL OVER my bed and leave his black hair behind. He got a nice bath in return.



And that, my friends, was my weekend. *bow*

Seattle stuff

Hmm, I still seem to be blogging into a black hole... oh well!

Well, I am here in Seattle (actually Renton to be exact) and I'm about ready to go to bed. I'm going home tomorrow and trying not to think about the drive too much. It was a good drive over that went by quickly, but the GPS system my dad lent me did NOT help me find where I was going. Then, I had a terribly hard time finding somewhere to park (I met my friend Donny and his fiancee Elizabeth downtown), and as soon as I started walking from my car to the bar I was meeting them at, I was propositioned by an older man who reeked of alcohol. He was talking to me about how girls aren't usually down to earth and he was asking if he could just get a chance to get my phone number and take me out to dinner. While trying to get away from him but trying to disprove his theory about girls not being down to earth, I told him I wasn't from around there, was too young for him (he disagreed with that apparently) and that I had a boyfriend, so it was all wrong. I finally got away from him and at that point decided I would feel a lot more comfortable if I didn't walk around downtown Seattle without someone with me. I didn't even make it a block! I guess the new haircut is paying off... *shudder*

I tried on my groomswoman dress today and got it all altered up for me, so all I need to do is come back here once more before the wedding (September 8th) and make sure everything fits me still. Hmm, that's funny, I seem to know someone who is going to be going to Seattle in a few weeks for a job interview, that someone also being someone I was supposed to go to Seattle with a few months ago but couldn't because we were both sick. Maybe that's just fate, who knows! *wink*

So that's about all that's gone on this weekend. Nothing too special or eventful. I will probably try to leave town between 2 and 4 tomorrow just so I can get unpacked and get to bed at a decent hour since I have to work Monday. That's okay, though. I'm going to work all week and try to get a workout routine going and before I know it, the weekend will be here and that certain aforementioned someone will be HOME! =D I can't wait!

Sweet dream

http://www.charmcitycakes.com/

This is the website for a cake company that the Food Network does a show about, called Ace of Cakes. I'm tellin' ya, that show is my DREAM! They get to make cakes in so many different shapes and varieties. They seriously go all out for these cakes, and it looks so fun! I've always loved baking, and I absolutely thrive at the opportunity to be creative. I've also played with the idea of being a baker for several years. While I've always put the idea on the back burner, it keeps on coming back, stronger and stronger each time. Owning a cake shop seems to embody a LOT of my attributes....creativity, food-loving, leadership, and the natural talent to do really anything I put my mind to. Business degree? I could do it! Baking program? Absolutely!!! Now, I pray about it and see what God says... =)

Whelp, I'm as packed up as I can be, the laundry is done, Tucker has food and water for a few days, and it's getting LATE, so I think it's bed time. I'm going to Seattle tomorrow to visit my good friend Donny and try on a dress for his wedding. I'm a groomswoman, how fun is that! I've also planned on getting together with Jacob's sister Korina. (Speaking of him, he called today..woohoo!!! I hadn't talked to him for days and it was SO nice to hear his voice)

Have a great weekend!

By the way, how do I get readers over here? Obviously we blog so people can read into our minds, but I seem to be blogging into a black hole!

When Drowning in Fear...

thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done.thy will be done...

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

Save me God. Make me better.

That Yearly Reminder

Well, I got back home the other night from a weekend camping trip that is a yearly tradition among my extended family on my mom's side. We've been doing it ever since I could remember, and I know they did it before I was even born. It's the chance for the family to spend time together; catching up, baking in the sun on the beach, teasing each other, telling stories, *ahem* drinking a lot, and just having a good ol' time. But, for me it is usually something more than just a fun time. I get some good life inspiration out of it.

I talk to my aunts a lot during that weekend. It gives me an opportunity to get more perspective on womanhood from someone besides my mom. I love my mom to death, of course, but she doesn't exactly take very good care of herself. So what I grew up seeing, I sometimes see myself doing too, and that worries me. My mom is not what I would call old (early 50s), but she's got a shoulder problem, knee problem, toe problems, smokers cough, and she's overweight. She doesn't have an active lifestyle at all. Actually, neither of my parents do. They come home from work, eat, then sit in front of the TV until it's bed time. Man, there is no way I want to be like that.

I have two aunts on my mom's side of the family who are 50 and another one who is in her late 30s. I love talking to them because they do take care of themsevles! They're all living life to the fullest, too; going camping, on vacations, being active! They exercise and cook healthy meals for their families and are youthful. It's so inspiring to me. So, to say the least, I come back from those weekends feeling obviously rejuvenated from getting away from the normal routine of life, but I also get a renewed outlook on life and how I take care of myself. I grew up with a pretty lazy approach to self-care. Even with the simple stuff like brushing my teeth and washing my face, I was never really forced to do it, thus not creating a habit that would stick with me when I got older. And I know, here I go blaming my parents again for something that I have control of. It's not that I'm blaming them, it's just that I see, more and more, the connections between parents' actions and their childrens' decisions later in life. My parents are lazy, thus I am lazy. My parents don't force me to brush my teeth before bed, thus I don't do it when I'm grown. If anything, it's just motivation to have more healthy habits in my life (and start them sooner than later), so that my children will develop healthy habits too.

Now that I establish that the reason why I find myself naturally developing negative habits is because of how I was brought up, it's time to then step into the role of adult and put forth the extra effort to correct the habits and turn them into good ones so that I don't cause this extra effort to be made by my children someday.

With that said, I now depart for the gym...

A Side Note

I feel the way I feel about what I wrote earlier today, but I also said that a lot of my friends are in those situations. I may not agree with what my friends do all the time, but that doesn't mean I think any less of them as people. I love my friends and always hope the best turns out for them. True friends celebrate each others' successes, but they are also there to pick up the pieces when they need a friend, regardless of what my opinion of their decisions is. That's all...

Backwards Generation

I am truly saddened by what I see among my friends and other young people my age. They are doing everyhing backwards! I know so many people who I graduated high school with who either have children or are pregnant, but are not married. A generation of children are being born into broken families. They will never get a chance to experience a happy family with two loving parents who love each other as well. Single parenting is becoming the normal thing! It's so very sad...there are so many pregnancies and so little commitment. Young people play with fire day after day without a second thought of the consequences. What's worse is that getting pregnant out of wedlock no longer seems like a 'consequence' at all! It's an 'oh well' sort of thing and the possibility of the relationship between the two future parents not working out is just another detail. It means nothing to them, because they are young and selfish. They are excited about buying baby clothes and picking out a name, but not at all concerned about the child growing up with two homes and no sense of what family is really supposed to be. Some scenarios do end up with the parents getting married, but it's still all backwards. Aren't you supposed to establish a career, get married and then plan the arrival of a child? Why doesn't anybody seem to understand the significance of financial stability and the commitment between man and a woman before bringing a child into this world? Whether you've been dating for years or are even living together, without the bond of marriage you have no guarantee that your significant other will stay in the relationship through thick and thin. But even these days, marriage unfortunately isn't meaning as much as it used to anyway. Just look at the divorce rate...

So, I mourn for the next generation of children. They are going to grow up with parents who can barely provide for them because they did not wait to have a stable life before they had children. They will have to be in the middle of custody battles, child support disputes, and fighting parents. Then what will happen is the parent will eventually come to the realization that they never got to be young and selfish, and then instead of accepting that, they will try to have that part of their life when they're in their 30s and their child is at the point of their childhood where they really need the good influence and attention from their parents. But, their parents will be out partying and being young, paving the way for more and more troubled teens who are missing the parental influence so important to raising an intelligent person. Then, the cycle just repeats itself and those children are having children young and going through the same series of problems and struggles.

So, I am making it a personal goal to go against the grain and do things the right way. I am going to figure out what my career is going to be and do what I need to do to get there. Then, when the time is right, I will get married to somebody I have built a strong foundation with and spend some time strengthening that bond, in order to be able to provide a loving environment for a child. And I will raise my child or children to do the same for their children. I will not contribute to the backwards generation.

A Talk With Myself

I ran away yesterday. Not that far away, but far away enough to get away from my mind. I spent the morning full of anxiety-to the point of panic, even!-and realized I just absolutely could not live like that anymore. So, I got in my car and drove to Sandpoint. I walked around the town for a while, browsing the little shops and enjoying the weather. I went to the city beach and sat in the sand. I stood in the water and watched my feet get progessively buried with each passing wave. And, most importantly, I had a little chat with myself. Oh, I invited God to be a part of this little talk, too. What it came down to was this: It's time to learn to how to let go and trust God. There are so many unknowns and questions in life, that's a fact. But, if I let those unknowns dictate how I feel about life, then I'm not living for now. If I am consumed with the fact that I don't know what is going to happen in my future, I'm wasting today, and tomorrow, and yesterday, and those are days that I am never getting back. So, it's time to make a change. It's time to be okay-no, happy-with things no matter what the circumstances are in my life. Of course this is something I have always known, but now it's being tested to the fullest! It won't be easy, but God is good and He'll give me the strength to get through anything.