Did I mention we've moved?

I've moved, gotten a new job, kid started elementary school, husband has a new job, bought a new house, 2 new cars and started an Etsy shop in the past year. Whew! What a whirlwind. I intend to start blogging again to promote my the new Etsy venture. Its really fun to do and it gave me a reason to turn my sitting area in my bedroom into a craft room. I will post pictures when completed. For now, have a looksy at the shop, if you see something you like use code 'HIPSTER' for a 10% discount.

Oh cleanse. . .you're back. Day 1

Giving the cleanse another go! Last night I worked out for the first time since March. Embarrassing? Yep. Man am I sore today. It was more of an upper body workout so my arms and stomach are killing me. It actually felt really good to be back in the gym. Hopefully the cleanse and the gym will get my butt back in action. The holidays are coming. . . again! Something had to give.

This morning was the first fiber drink and I certainly haven't missed that. I need to go grocery shopping so I am less tempted to eat something that isnt approved. I do have to say that I am looking forward to not being tired all the time! It will take a few days but the whole 24 should go by quickly, just like the rest of this year has. The pictures are what I am drinking today, I am way excited about mixing Fruit Punch & Pink Lemonade. Spark!say

NEW CHALLENGE!

I grill a lot of chicken. A lot. It is  usually my go-to meal of the week, and sometimes I catch myself making it twice a week. So I am committing myself to cook every night this week, and I am going to blog about it with recipes and my thoughts. There are so many fabulous recipes out there and I know my family gets tired of chicken, brown rice and green beans. . . Even if I don't. 

Last night was technically a cooking night, but I cooked at my parents so it kind of counts. I made meatloaf, green beans (see!), mashed potatoes, salad and bread. But I consider that a hearty meal. This week my menu includes vegetables and proteins to go along with my faux cleanse that I have put myself on. With the exception of brown rice and black beans, the meals should all be pretty diet friendly. 

Earth Fare recently opened by our house and they have fantastic coupons, I am using one for a FREE whole natural chicken with a $10 purchase, which shouldn't be too hard. Harris Teeter for all of the other ingredients and I should be able to make all dinners under 50 bucks for the week. Not too bad, we will see how it really turns out.

Here is a menu so far:
Monday: Tex-Mex stuffed peppers Tuesday: Italian Baked Fish Wednesday: Creole Chicken Thursday: Easy Crock Pot Chicken . . .and I still haven't decided on Friday since I work late that night. I max rearrange my meals to have a crock pot dish that night and throw in pork or some other protein in the middle of the week. At this point I am excited. I will keep you posted after the completion of the first meal. As they say in Italy, Mangia!put

Awesome Sale (& Giveaway!)

I know I haven't posted in a while...have been sorting things out on my end; but I wanted to tell you about an awesome photography sale over at Soulographer. The Workshop Workbook (http://www.theworkshopworkbook.com/) is HALF OFF!!! Seriously from $399 down to $199, plus 4 new posing guides. How that can that be any more rockin' than it already is?! Insanity. I hope you all go over and check it out and enter the contest while you're at it (it ends on Friday!) Good luck!!

Brianna

(for some reason I can't post my picture on here!!)

9 Things to Learn Before You Turn 30

I found this while browsing Etsy shops...she was the featured blogger of the day and a fiddling around on her blog, I found this article. I enjoyed it and decided to share. It was orignially in www.RelevantMagazine.com by Jason Boyett. I hope you enjoy.

 1. Life is SO not about you.

If Day 1 of Rick Warren’s gazillion-selling The Purpose-Driven Life can begin with this statement, then so can this modest list. The best approach to life is one that realizes that you are only the center of your universe, not everyone else’s. Successful adulthood means living a life of generosity, of service and of concern for the people around you. Step outside your own interests. Put others’ needs ahead of your own. Get over yourself. Opening your hands to the world around you is the key to maturity.

2. Credit cards are dangerous

If you’re like most people, you got hooked in college (after all, they were offering a free T-shirt!). Then you graduated with a garbageload of debt. A few years later, you’re still paying it off and gnashing your teeth at the interest rate. You’ve been told time and time again that this is stupid—so I’m not going to yell at you about it—but take the advice you keep hearing and get your credit cards paid off. Stop using them like free money. Until you get to the point where you can pay your bill in full every month, don’t sign that receipt.

 

3. Stuff will never satisfy

Sure, that new stamp-sized phone-slash-microbrowser-slash-meat-thermometer looks really slick, and all the cool kids have one, and Kanye’s kickin’ it with one in his new video, but let’s face it—will it really make your life that much better? If you’re bored, depressed or unsatisfied without all the gear, you’re also gonna be bored, depressed and unsatisfied with it. Things might perk you up for a day or two, but they don’t give you any sort of permanent boost. They don’t bring you joy. Joy comes from community, faith, love, purpose. And those? Come from God.

 

4. Save now while you're young

It looks like Uncle Sam may be getting pretty stingy by the time we’re ready to start pricing Winnebagos and planning for that vacation to Branson. So ... are you saving yet for retirement? If not, get to it. Contribute to your company’s 401(k) plan. Set up a regular or Roth IRA. Start saving, and do it now. The financial decisions you make over the next few years will grow to astronomical proportions a couple of decades from now. If time = money, then procrastination = a lot less money.

5. You should probably read more

And I’m not just saying that because I’m a writer. There’s some fun stuff on TV. Video games are a great escape. Movies can be cool. But when it comes to gaining knowledge, enhancing your vocabulary, improving your concentration and stimulating the brain, there’s nothing better than a book. Yes, an actual book. Not a cereal box or a gaming manual. Browsing the Internet or flicking through magazines doesn’t count either.

6. Pay attention to what you eat

Metabolism slows with age. Abdomens, butts, thighs and other formerly desirable body parts start to expand. Your energy level shrinks. Eventually, you’re gasping for breath when you top the stairs. You can’t just eat anything you want anymore, so start paying attention to what you’re shoveling in. Put down that pizza and pick up some yogurt. Toss a salad. Lay off the bacon cheeseburgers. And for Jared’s sake, stop categorizing Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia as an FDA-approved serving of fruit.

7. Stop comparing yourself to others

It’s not about you, but it’s not about keeping up with the Joneses either. Stop comparing yourself to others. It’s a vicious cycle you don’t want to get caught up in. There will always be people your age who are more successful than you, wealthier than you and better-looking than you. And if Jesus was clear about anything, it was that flawless skin, a sweet ride and a highfalutin title on your business card were keys to the kingdom of God. Wait ... He didn’t say that? Guess I’ve been watching too much Christian TV.

8. Get used to saying "No"

The older you get, the better simplicity looks. Prioritize. Rather spend time with your family than go to yet another church worship band rehearsal? Then scale back on your responsibilities, and don’t let anyone make you feel guilty about it. Tired of the hours and marathon- length sprint of your job? Don’t hesitate to downshift on your career. You can’t do it all. Choose health, sanity, loved ones and a “life to the full” above anything else—no matter what conventional wisdom says. Quality of life beats stress any day.

 

9. Maintain close relationships

Ask any old person what’s been more important to them through the years. Career? Residence? Bank account? Nope. It’s the people they love, the ones who traveled through life with them. Strong, well- adjusted adults stay connected to a strong, well-adjusted blend of friends and family members. As the thirtysomething hill gets closer, make sure you’ve got someone to climb it with you. You don’t dare do it alone.

Coming Soon...

A REAL website. I'm so excited. I have been working on this for a while now, and its finally coming together. It will have links to my facebook page & my blog plus galleries (publice & private) for session viewing. I can't be more excited. Now all I need is the weather to warm up so I can start filling those galleries.

Don't forget to schedule for Easter Mini Sessions! 30 minute shoot, 1 5x7 and a disc of 5 images for $60 dollars. Exciting stuff!

De. Feated.

I'm not usually one to talk about how I feel, rarely ever will you hear me share my feelings with anybody. Even my husband. Unless of course I am nagging/complaining....you get the picture.

Lately I have felt, blah. I am completely committed to doing photography and I really love it. I enjoy having something that I have complete control of but sometimes I just sit down on the ground and throw up my hands. I have been looking at other people's photographs and think, 'wow those are ah-mazing!' how can I ever compete with people like THAT! I have done a few sessions that I feel are incomplete. I also had a few (meaning, 5) discs NOT work when the person receving the pictures tried to load them. I just get this sick feeling like I want to hide and not show my face but I know that is all part of the learning process. I know that everybody has trials and you just have to find what works best for you, I get it. I am also impatient. I want it to happen NOW. Clearly it's just not gonna.  I have the worst business mind in the world. I want everybody to be satisfied with the work I do for them, I want them to TELL me if they're not. Ugh, it's so frustrating. (this is getting to be a me,me,me post) Anyhow I want to know how to do websites, and banners and logos and everything fancy but I can't. I can research it, but I don't. I feel that everything I do is half complete. I want to learn to complete EVERYTHING I do, in a timely fashion also. I'm not sure what the hang up is, I have control over my actions and I should quit complaining about it and do it. There. I'm done complaining about it and I will now do it.

just as soon as that girl emails me back.......! ps. there are some friends of mine that don't CARE what people think of their work and I wish I could be like that. I wish them the best and all the success in the world.