March 31, 2009 - Living For Jesus is Fun

My favorite F word:
Furikake.
On rice. On soup. On my hand...I LOVE THIS STUFF :)
Difficult to find locally, found on sale in Hawaii.

March 30, 2009 - Living For Jesus is Fun

Even when you forget to pay the internet bill and it gets shut off. How did that happen? Eh, whatever, we brought our school stuff to the church and we'll borrow internet here until I swing by and reconnect it. AND that brings us to today's photo - the kids' studying the Missionary poster, pointing out the ones they've met and making notes about which ones they would like to pray for!

March 29, 2009 - Living For Jesus Is Fun

Our righteousness without Christ is as filthy rags. Pastor Bigelow dressed up to teach/preach today, he had clothed himself in filthy rags to make a point - and a good one too.

Here he is, first, clothed in Christ's righteousness


















and then in his own righteousness.

March 28, 2009 - Living For Jesus is Fun

Kurt got to work on his boat a bit today - right before the downpour!

March 27, 2009 - Living for Jesus is Fun

I'm not much for web-camming, but you know, at 4 this morning, when I was still wide awake - I thought it was much kinder to use the laptop's built in webcam and capture my wide awakeness than it would be to get up, get out the rebel, use a flash, wake Kurt early and take a photo of what I was working on...SO, today, it's me. Not glamourous (it's after 4 AM and I have yet to be sleepy). But I did check email, reply to email, do some banking and scrap the rest of the photos from this week :)

March 26, 2009 - Living For Jesus is Fun

My cute little ficus is getting leaves back!! Last September when we moved out here, the leaves (all but 2 or 3) fell OFF. I was so sad and thought it would die, but it's bouncing back pretty well this spring! :)

March 25, 2009 - Living For Jesus Is Fun

So, yeah, we work at Gino's Pizza...but it sits right between Thai's Dynasty and The Captain's Choice and we don't always LIKE eating pizza and sandwiches (although they're pretty much the BEST sandwiches in town). Yesterday when I got to work, I could smell sweet & sour and sesame from Thai's - oy! SO Krystal bought us dinner - bless her lil' pea pickin' heart - sweet and sour something...it was deep fried, I couldn't tell if it was pork or chicken (sorry), pork noodles, rice and crab puffs. By the time I got the camera out, this is what was left :)

THANK YOU KRYSTAL - I suppose I owe you some Greek cucumber soup (aka the cucumber *dip* you like so well) and Tabouli (schlop).

March 24, 2009 - Living For Jesus is Fun

This is the REAL Kayla. Sort of. The REAL Kayla likes to wear her own sloppy (comfy) clothes and keeps her hair up. She was bribed today with Taco Bell (I owe her after church), and then forced to wear Big Sister's (aka, my traveling companion) clothes AND wear her hair down...now, as you can see from this photo - SHE IS BEAUTIFUL - even while making funny faces, but the funny face in this photo is about as Kayla as it gets.

I love it :)

This probably won't be put on the wall in their home, but I'm sure something from the rest of the collection will do just fine for that. I might put her on my wall...I like this. Real is fun :)

March 23, 2009 - Living For Jesus is Fun

Kurt did some rearranging this weekend - I wasn't planning to hang those corkboards in our living room - but that's where they are - and the desk is off the porch and in the house, so PRAISE GOD!! We have a dining room table now that the computer is on the desk!

March 22, 2009 - Living For Jesus is Fun

pretty tree in front of the church, clouds reflecting in the sanctuary windows. Blustery all morning then afternoon and evening sun.

March 21, 2009 - Living For Jesus is Fun

Crab pots.
We were down visiting the Whitleys today on their boat, in the Charleston Marina.

March 20, 2009 - Living For Jesus is Fun

Hmmm. Doesn't she look elf-ish? I love Abby's bright colors - and the Alsworth's have THE BEST natural light in their dining room - we're going to have to move the table out and do a shoot on their awesome floor with sheets for backdrops :D

March 19, 2009 - Living For Jesus is Fun

Happy Birthday Jay!! Sort of a surprise birthday party for Jay at Marcy's tonight - he thought it was just dinner out and that they'd run into Michael and Roxann because they eat at Marcy's every Thursday (cheeseburger, fries and a shake for $4.99), but low and behold, he shows up and finds tables shoved together enough to seat at least 15 people...his family of 5, Mike & Rox with little Andrew, 5 Smiths, Barb, BJ, Beck, Bill, and the Whitleys...fun times :D

March 18, 2009 - Living For Jesus is Fun

This might be my favorite shot today, Kara and I are going out tomorrow to shoot in similar conditions to what I will have to work with in August at Kadi's wedding - should be fun - having Sandy bring a white sheet to see if we can diffuse some of that harsh, direct, afternoon sunlight.

March 17, 2009 - Living For Jesus is Fun

this is where kurt was working today - he says it's the miki miki like mickey mickey - but abigail was correct in correcting him - it's hawaiian, so it's pronounced meekee meekee :)

she's so smart :D

March 16, 2009 - Living For Jesus is Fun

I'd say I'm learning to use my camera - but really, I know how to use it, I'm just learning how to APPRECIATE what I have to work with and use it more effectively (on purpose), because most of the time I'm just too lazy to:

• properly frame;
• change the settings - because I could just photoshop it later;
• focus correctly;
• get down on the level of my subject (old and out of shape clause?);
• or I'm just plain in a hurry...

So this is one of my fave shots today. First shot is without any photoshopping at all. Second shot I have simply brightened the catch lights in her eyes. Third, I kept the eyes and gave it a TINY curves boost.

No filters, no actions, no masks, nothing at all fancy or difficult.

Eventually I will figure out how to format them a little better, but for now, you get the picture :D
I am going to post the other groups on the Drink More Tea blog :)

March 15, 2009 - Living For Jesus is Fun

So, today, of all the photos I could have taken during church (including the ones I was supposed to be taking) I really kept being drawn back to this pair of boots. I kept seeing them out of the corner of my eye and thought...hmmm...new boots, those would look really cool in black and white...

Bad angle. Bad light. and there was no way I was going to lie under one pew to get a better angle and make myself completely obvious - nor did I want to go say, "Hey - I like your boots - wanna' pose from the knee down for me??" - Not exactly worship worthy communication for the sanctuary (we'll try that later in the week over coffee or something).

Anyhow, this is the shot I sneaked...and was caught as soon as the shutter fired(like THAT has ever stopped me), so I confessed I was taking a photo of his boots. Then I brought it home and make it black and white. AND because it's not completely what I wanted...I may try to restage it and get Bry to come and shoot with me just for fun!

March 14, 2009 - Living for Jesus is Fun

We did some bowling to celebrate Cam's 13th birthday (last Wednesday) and most of his friends CANCELED...so we turned it into a family night and brought Abby & Ruby, and their friend Becca...because her brother Kord was the only one of his friends in town that didn't cancel (which to us is pretty great cuz' we're church family), and Bill...a brother from church. Kurt was ill and stayed home, Barb & BJ were still working on stuff for the shop...so it was just the 7 of us and I don't know about everyone else, but I had a blast (broke 100 every game even...) - THEN after being all puffed up with pride...I biffed it on the way out of the bowling alley! Total nose dive. I'm SO going to have to start paying attention to STEPS.

March 13, 2009 - Living For Jesus is Fun

Today...we did our lessons - like really logged on, not just did the reading or the workbooks, but really logged in to K12 and logged attendance and everything!! Well...Abigail did until she crashed out for a couple hour nap and Camden finally did after he realized there would be no weekend if he didn't get it together :)

March 12, 2009 - Living For Jesus Is Fun

Today...I had a nightmare. All of the photos from Camden's birthday yesterday that were on the little Canon - were GONE. ALL GONE. I tried file recovery software...and it recovered thumbnails that opened as very badly offset, oddly colored, photos from our trip to Corvallis - or they were a black bar with a garbled, many colored, stripe...then IRFANVIEW THUMBNAILS opened the thumbnails of the missing images...and opened the original files...and I was able to SAVE THEM ALL TO ANOTHER DISK after changing one letter of the filename - phew!!

Today's photo is not of that. It's of Miss Abby in rag curlers...with and without them. She has the straightest of straight hair that really doesn't curl...so she was thrilled with these curls and thought herself very glamorous!

March 11, 2009 - Living For Jesus is Fun

My boy is THIRTEEN now!! Can you believe it??













Now, we did have matches in the church kitchen, but just for fun & because he's a TEENAGE boy, Shon got out the magnesium striker and flint and we lit a piece of tinder to light the candles - because that was more fun. It takes Shon about 2 seconds to achieve flame with his flint/striker combo - fun guy to hang out with :) Great at beach parties.

March 10, 2009 - Living For Jesus is FUN

First off, Hallie had her little man!! Just after midnight early this morning - welcome Dorion Edward Weir!! I don't have a photo yet...they texted me one and MY PHONE IS BROKEN so I have to wait for an email :)













The moon at night - is big and bright - but usually we can't see it...be-cause the clouds...co-ver it up...and tonight they let it shine :D I kind of wanted a neat photo of bright moon with silhouette of trees...but I don't have a tripod and I was driving. SO, whatever - I saw it, it's amazing and beautiful :)

March 9, 2009 - Living for Jesus is Fun

Crazy, insane weather & whining aside, we had a fantastic time at the Capitol Building in Salem today! We also learned that Representative Roblan and Senator Verger were 2 of the 5 supporters of alternative (specifically online) education that were awarded plaques for their efforts in keeping us moving forward because public school doesn't *fit* every child/family - and they're from OUR DISTRICT :) So it was worth the rally in the snow that turned to rain and the INSANE drive up! Thank you Lord for KEEPING US SAFE!!

March 8, 2009 - Living for Jesus is Fun

Doesn't this tickle you?? The kids' worship service, complete with song motions :D

March 7, 2009 - Living for Jesus is Fun

Sure, this looks like a big MESS. It's really what's at the foot of my bed...the clumps of white - those are SAILS. They go with this *marvelous* old boat that Kurt's working on - I keep making jokes about having to sleep with boat gear and how it's really just preparing me to live aboard (Kurt's dream, not mine - I don't want to live on no stinking boat...)

March 6, 2009 - Living For Jesus is Fun

Becky decided the youth's lame attempt at worship was PATHETIC and just because it was a youth service/game night was no excuse for them to not put forth any effort...so she jumped up to the keyboard and put Chris up to lead the song...and made them sing it until she was satisfied that they had put forth an effort - it was awesome - youth service for the youth - lead BY the youth. Did you know these kids really are AMAZING??

March 5, 2009 - Living For Jesus is Fun

Praise God for TEAMWORK - having brothers and sisters in Christ is not just a wonderful feeling, it's a tremendous blessing - makes me all warm and fuzzy to see how we all work together and help each other. In this case, Kord, Cam and Bill are putting together a shelving unit for the store that Billie Jo & Barb are opening on the 12th!! So exciting - so many neat things!!

March 4, 2009 - Living For Jesus Is Fun

SO, this morning started much earlier than I had hoped. You see, if I was a *good wife* I would be up EVERY MORNING with my husband...he gets up at 4:30 ish...to get ready for work and grab something for lunch before he has to be out the door at 5:30 AM. No, I don't fix his lunch on a regular basis...but I assure you, he doesn't go hungry. ANYHOW, this morning he got up and was trying to be all quiet and get ready without waking me because I have been tired and just not feeling up to par - and he was doing a really great job UNTIL he tried to find his glasses in the dark. He knocked over his cup of tea from last night that he fell asleep before he drank - RIGHT ONTO MY HEAD!! Cold tea in the face at 5. Wowzers. SO, the photo of the day is of the things he knocked over in the dark before I made him turn on the light to find his glasses...and get me a towel :) Such a refreshing wake up...

March 3, 2009 - Living For Jesus is FUN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KURT!! {43 if you are counting}














Okay, so today's funny...The bumper sticker on this car behind the tow truck says, "If it works, don't fix it." Apparently, it doesn't work. THANK YOU LORD for making a way for me to NOT have a car like this anymore!! Although it was kind of funny to be directly behind this :)

March 2, 2009 - Living For Jesus is Fun

especially if you are the child pretending you are being obedient and *going to bed* even though you are OBVIOUSLY on he living room futon...with half of a *fort* up around you, dishes from your snacks on the floor beside you and your brother (who's mad face and inappropriate attired caused him to be cropped out) is sitting on the floor beside you shouting loudly why he shouldn't be in any trouble for not going to bed. JOY. really it is.

DON'T YOU REMEMBER WHEN THAT WAS YOU?? [and if your parents were the type that didn't allow you to build forts in the living room using the furniture to drape blankets over, and old cardboard boxes for walls...i truly am very sorry...you totally missed out, i hope it didn't stifle your creativity and cause you to grow up and be dull]

I just wish I still had the energy to keep up with little peeps that get up early - and still manage to stay up beyond my ability to keep up. Now, as much as I despise the disobedience, at least they do it TOGETHER - and you really do have to admire their unity.

March 1, 2009 - Living For Jesus is FUN

Late lunch, aka dinner, at Puerta Vallarta with the Carlson's this evening. Bro. Carlson let it leak that Kurt's birthday is on Tuesday [43 for those curious, not 21 :) ] - so they made him wear the sombrero and sang to him :) Cute eh?


















THIS is a set of 4 finished pages from my LIFE 365 book - representing the last 2 weeks of February :) Just thought you might enjoy seeing how the project is going together :D