Holiday- Day 1

4:30 am wake up call

3 1/2 hours in the car

1 pit stop to puke at McDonald's

56 dollars to enter Silver Dollar ("Steal-Your-Dollar") City

9 roller coster rides

2 water rides

1 massive fajita

3 handfuls of kettle corn

1 frozen lemonade

7 total hours in the park

1 hour swimming at the hotel

1 massive dinner at outback

1 hour riding around in retarded traffic

+1 rousing game of mini golf

=

Tired.

Me in the hotel room

Travelin' Light

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The family and I are head to Branson, Missouri this weekend to just get away for a little bit. I like how the Europeans call it "going on holiday" rather than "a vacation". Sounds a lot more sophisticated. One thing that is always an awful issue with me is packing light. I know my essentials, but I always think, "Well, maybe I want to take this, or this, or that too. You know, just in case." So I end up taking too many things and never even pull out some items from my suitcase. I'm sure we all suffer the same packing anxiety :) So this weekend my goal is to pack pretty light. A website I found that is great for narrowing down my packing list is this site called One Bag. It's got great tips on what to take and ways to pack that makes it easier to just have one bag when traveling. The packing list is more aimed for a longer stay than just one weekend, but it's still a great list. (Wow. I just read what I wrote and it sounds like an advertisement, but I assure you, it's not!) So for those of you who are going to do some traveling soon *ahem, ANGELA, ahem*, check out this site!

Just a thought

"Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord; till he come and rain righteousness upon you." Hosea 10:12

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I forget that life isn't about being comfortable and having things go right. Serving God isn't a cake walk. It's a struggle. Some days are good, some days are rough, but we can't be complacent. Sometimes you have to "break up your fallow ground" because it's not about what you want to do, it's about seeking the Lord. I need this reminder everyday. To know that I need to break out of conformity and ease and reach out of my comfort zone to seek Him.

Happy One Year Anniversary!... 8 days late...

I just now remembered that I missed my blog's one year anniversary. It was July 6th... How awful is that?! Thanks to all you readers and those who have commented along the way! And as a gift to you all (or at least those who love art as much as I do), I wanted to share with you an artist I stumbled upon today. His name is James Grashow and he makes massive installations out of cardboard. Yeah, you heard me right, cardboard. All of his pieces are amazing, but I was just dumbfounded when I saw this one. It's a cardboard version of Bernini's Fountain of Four Rivers in Rome!!! So stinkin' fantastic!!! And it doesn't hurt that Bernini is my all-time favorite sculptor. Check out James' other works on his site HERE.

Roughing it

I know most people probably didn’t find yesterday’s kitten episode very inspirational, but giggles are just good for the soul. And if you didn’t giggle, then something is just wrong with you. * Overly obvious segway* You know what is also good for the soul? Love. Yes. Lots of it. And this camping engagement shoot just oozes with it. Plus, the beautiful coloring, large amounts of plaid, and the downright gorgeous couple are kinda cool too, I suppose.

Too. Cute.

Photographer Shannen Norman

TMI

Now that I'm doing this whole "post everyday" bit, there are some tidbits you need to know about me. Not only am I obsessed with design, color, weddings, oil paint, faces, and ceramics, I also have this ridiculous obsession with kittens. Yes. Kittens. Preferably black ones. I'm pathetic when it comes to kittens on tv, movies, pictures, and especially youtube clips. I don't react in the normal, "Oh, that's cute." No, I'm the person yelling "Oh My Word!!! LOOK AT THAT KITTEN!!!! Isn't it the cutest thing ever?!?!?!" (all in a high pitched little girl voice)... and then proceed to beg my parents for one. Regretfully, the answer is always no. I do try to limit my kitten obsession to the minimum. I don't have any kitten posters (anymore) and I don't buy kitten calendars. No more kitten folders or desktop pictures. However, when I need a pick-me-up, youtube always comes through for me.

So for your viewing pleasure... Kittens.

(Don't judge.)

Fail

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One of my New Year's Resolutions was to post more on here and I've been an epic failure. It's not that I don't get on all the time. I get on here and read blogs probably everyday, but I feel like I never have anything good to say. Well, I've always been good at running my mouth, but I don't want this blog to just turn into me babbling about randomness, but one of the main reasons I made this blog is to record things that inspire me. So my new goal is to post everyday. Yep. EVERYDAY. Obnoxious? Maybe. But I want to get in the habit of writing more and inspiring others they way I get inspired by the blogs that I read daily.

So hooray for day 1!