Movies make me happy

Today I am happy that I got to watch Dirty Dancing in the movie theater.  That is the very first movie I ever saw in the theater without my parents.  I was nine and I was in love with the movie.  A lot of the mature situations went over my head and I didn't realize until way later what really went on. This was the last movie in this particular Classic Movie Series.  The past six weeks I have sang along with Grease and entire theater of people.  I also got to introduce my daughter to Back to the Future and Ghostbusters, and I got to see two movies I had never seen, Animal House and American Graffiti.  Tonight was the best ending; because "Nobody puts Baby in the corner" and the audience going crazy after that line.  Priceless experience.

Photo Day 14: On a stick
For this one I took some photos; but I didn't like the way they turned out.  I am going to try again tomorrow.  So for now I leave you with one from the archive; my very first cake pops I ever made way back in February or March I believe.  They were pink lemonade.  They were so pretty.

Mickey Cookies

Today I am happy my Mickey cookies turned out cute.

I am also really happy with my daughter's orthodontist.  She and her staff are awesome.  Elexis got her extra device put on today.  She is a trooper.  Her favorite part, the teal bands she got put on as well.

Photo Day 13: Protein
Peanuts!  Something Elexis cannot eat right now.

I heart Photoshop

Today I am happy I got to play around in Photoshop for longer than 20 minutes.  I rediscovered some of my favorite settings and filters.  I am also in the process of picking three photographs to enter into a local photography show.  This will be a huge leap of faith for me.  If you want to input, please feel free.    Here are a couple pictures I got to edit today.  All my feathered friends...

African penguins

The bully flamingo...he would go headbutt other flamingos that were sleeping

You've seen grumpy cat...introducing grumpy bird.  Elexis and I named him Carl (Disney's Up reference)

Photo day 12: French
My French baguette and Perrier water.  I really do like Perrier, it is a surprise to my taste buds every time I drink it.  Bonus: my husband and child do not like it, so finally a beverage all to myself.

Today is a YouTube day.

Today I am happy for YouTube.  It makes me smile, laugh, cry and several "aweeee" moments.  Of course I have been sucked into the endless varieties of videos.  Mainly today I watched baby animal videos.  I will share a few of my favorites.

The first being a baby hippo (of course).  I just want to cuddle this little guy.


Next here is a baby duck fighting to stay awake!!  So cute!



And, in honor of baby flamingos being born at our zoo, I bring you a baby flamingo taking his first step.

 

Photo Day 11: Apple
I love apples.  I eat at least one a day.  There are several different varieties that I enjoy.  I think my favorite would either have to be Golden Delicious or Pink Lady.  Yum  Today, I stacked apples.  I got three to stack.  They made for a pretty picture.

A great Saturday

Today I am happy because I got to spend time with a lot of family and great friends.  We had my dad's 62nd birthday party today.  There were about 35 people at their house.  We had lots of yummy food and cookie cake to top it all off.  I rode a little mini motorbike and my husband tried to teach me to ride my mom's big motorcycle.  Her's was way too big for me.  The kids swam and played on the golf carts.  There was tons of laughter and a lot of conversation.  I am beyond blessed.  Tonight Elexis is at a sleepover and I miss her.  We have another birthday party tomorrow (her cousin's...the one having the sleepover).  Busy busy weekend filled with lots of family.  Here are a few pictures from today.

Hamburgers, fresh grilled squash, cucumbers and tomatoes out of the garden, my mom's potato salad...yum.  This is my mom's plate, I had a hotdog with all the other stuff.

A beautiful candid of my cousin.  She doesn't even know I took this picture.

Another candid.  This is my aunt who celebrated her 58th birthday yesterday.  Her daughter is the one above.  

Me and one of my favorite cousins (her sister is my other favorite).  She starts her Senior year on Thursday.

Photo Day 10: Split

I was split (haha) between two pictures.  I decided to post both.  Both revolve around ice cream.  One is Blue Bell Great Divide.  The other is a Blue Bell Banana Split ice cream sundae.  

Time with my girl

Today I am happy I got to spend some one on one time with my daughter.  We took a mini road trip up to Tulsa (about 2 hours from me) and went to the Tulsa Zoo (imagine that, I went to the zoo!! haha).  It is about a third of the size as the OKC Zoo, but it was a nice change.  They have some animals that we don't.  Namely....PENGUINS!!  Most of the animals were very cooperative for my photographer side.  I will do a whole post on the zoo with tons of pictures.  I do have a couple I would like to share now.  The flamingos were extremely close and there was a baby!!!  After we got back from the zoo, we went and saw the new Percy Jackson movie.  Elexis has loved these books for years and she was glad that they finally made the second movie.  We spent a low key evening at home in prep for our busy weekend and really busy next week.  I love my girl and I know I have very little precious time with her and I want to soak it up.  Sometimes she gets on my every last nerve, but I know those moments will pass.  I am her parent first, but she is truly one of my best friends.

Also, tonight my husband unexpectedly brought me flowers home.  I was completely shocked.  They are so pretty.

On to some pictures:

Baby Flamingo!!  I love the gray.

Flamingo eye.  My new background on my computer.

My flowers!! 

Photo Day 9: Rice

At first I didn't want to do it.  Rice is boring.  Then I told myself "that is why this is called a challenge, to challenge yourself"  So, here is some rice.  It's long grain and wild rice.  I really loved the way it turned out.  This rice is uncooked, I liked the texture.  

Much happier today

Today I am happy to be in a happier mood.  I cleaned my house, I went to the zoo, twice!  I went to the mall, got some things accomplished and I feel much better.  Last night after I wrote my blog post, I went to the gym and took out some aggression.  Tomorrow, me and my baby girl are going to take a small road trip to Tulsa to go to the Tulsa Zoo.  Imagine that, me going to a zoo!!  I am excited because I get to see PENGUINS!!  Yay!! So be looking for a lot of pictures this weekend.  Speaking of which, it is going to be a busy one (seems to be the story of my life).  August is a huge birthday month for me. All that with school starting, makes that a very busy month for me.  All I can say...Bring it on!

Photo Day 8: Cold
A cold glass of milk to go with a warm Subway cookie...too bad I don't like milk (but I do like it for a prop).

Note: I don't know why my blog didn't publish yesterday, so I guess you get a double dose today!  

Air Conditioning

Today I am happy I have air conditioning.  With a heat index of 110*, it is one hot motha out there!  I am looking forward to the 'cold front' that is supposed to come in by the weekend.  Then our temperatures drop to the low 90's.  Elexis and I plan on going to the Tulsa Zoo on Friday.  I really can't complain though, last year at this time it was in the 110's.

Photo Day 6: Floating
Today is National Root Beer Float Day, so you know what that means...my photo of the day is of root beer floats.  I use good ole Bluebell Vanilla and A&W Root Beer.  Yum!

Just being there makes me happy

Today's happiness: Being there for people who don't ask and are very grateful for it.  Sometimes being there means just a hug from a stranger on a bad day.  Or being there for a friend when it means getting 3 hours of sleep.

Remember when I posted about the 911 calls I had to make within a week of each other? Sandy made the comment about these things coming in 3's.  Boy was she right.  I had to call 911 again today for the third time in a month.  I was sitting at a stoplight and watched the car in the next lane totally run the stop light and hit a car that was turning left.  They just put in this stoplight about 3 months ago.  She was an elderly lady who was coming from the bank to go back to the hospital where her husband was having surgery.  She said she has driven that road a million times.  But, to see the look of horror on the face of the lady who got hit in her truck is something that will stick with me for a while.  I immediately called 911, and went out and made sure both women were okay.  I pulled my car to a safe area so people could somewhat get around the accident (it took up both lanes).  I went to the lady in the truck first and made sure she was okay.  She was and we both went to the other lady.  She was really shaken up, but okay as well.  I stayed there and waited (the other witnesses left).  I gave each woman a hug and let them know I was there for them.  I offered rides to both (they both had others coming after them).  I tend to try to use humor to help try to ease situations like this.  I think it helps people from thinking too much about it and focus on positives (like still being alive).  The lady that got hit was going home to do yard work (she had just gotten off work) and I told her "Now you have a good excuse to get out of yard work and get your family to do it."  and "Well, this Monday sucked".  As I was giving them final hugs, both women clung tightly and told me thank you for being there and keeping things in perspective.  That really meant a lot to me.

This morning I got up at 5:30 after going to bed at 2:15ish to go be with my dear friends as their daughter (whom I am the honorary Aunt because they have no family in Oklahoma) was having a tonsillectomy.  They didn't ask me to be there, but I really wanted to be there for moral support.  My 'niece' was so happy that I came.  I left while they were doing pre-op work and went home to get Elexis  because she LOVES Elexis (that's when I witnessed the accident).  When the nurse took out her IV and told her she could get dressed and go home; her mom got her back in her nightgown and she wiggled out of her mom's lap and ran to Elexis to sit in her lap and be cuddled.  It melted my heart.  I am so happy my daughter is so good with kids, but especially this girl and her younger sister.  These dear friends started out as Elexis' voice teacher and it has morphed into a wonderful friendship.

Phew: That was a lot.  Thanks for reading all the way through.  I tend to ramble a lot and I appreciate you guys reading (especially with my many parenthesis...haha).

Photo Day 4: Layered: Edwards Hershey Pie - loving the layers.  My husband enjoyed the pie - he loves when I photograph food.

Photo Day 5: Shell - The shell for tonight's dinner was a carb balance whole wheat tortilla.  Yummy and very easy chicken soft taco dinner.  *note: My husband looked at this picture and he said "Man, that looks really good." I said "It was your dinner..."  He said "Wow, now I am hungry again".  I love photographing food. 

Pictures are my life

So, June was busy; July was busy; what made me think that August wasn't going to be any less busy.  Today I spent 5 hours at a family reunion that wasn't even my family.  At least I got paid for it, I was hired as the photographer.  I had a lot of fun and became an honorary member of the family.

For today's happiness challenge...I am happy to have my camera.  I feel like it is an extension of my arm.  I love being able to take an ordinary scene and put my perspective on it.  I love capturing special moments or really just moments in general.  My husband bought me my first dslr (or "professional" camera) 3 years ago.  It was the cheapest one available.  I went through all of photography school with that camera.  I know that camera inside and out and can figure out the settings in the dark.  He bought me my higher end dslr for Christmas.  I begged him to take it back because of the price.  I am so glad he didn't though.  It is so nice.  I still don't know how to fully use it.  That is why I try to pick up my camera every day.  I try a new setting, they don't always work; but at least I tried.  My love for photography started way before I got either one of my cameras.  I remember having photo shoots with Elexis when she was two.  I would take my film point and shoot camera and toddler to the park and just have a blast shooting her.  Some of my favorite pictures from her childhood are those.  I moved up to a regular digital camera as soon as we could afford it.  I was spending a crap ton in developing costs with all the film I shot.  Elexis is starting to take a small interest in photography.  I am going to try to teach her a few things, if she will let me.

Here is a shot of baby toes that I took today.  This is a quick rough edit.  I love baby toes.

I did get to spend the day with one of my best friends.  Here is a rare shot of me in front of the camera especially that I took with my big camera.  

Photo Day 3: Red

Pretty ripe red tomato slices at the reunion today.  

Here is a clip of Elexis (and the rest of the orchestra) playing Don't Stop Believin'.  Part way through I forget I was taking video instead of taking pictures and I turn my phone sideways.  oops.  

My Cherrie Berry

So August begins....

This month means back to school.  Elexis starts on the 19th.  She has been ready to go back since the second week in July.  We have already got most of her school supplies.  We still need to buy the reams of copy paper and dry erase markers.  We have a couple special things planned for next week.  She is in an orchestra camp this week.  They are learning to play current music like Radioactive (Imagine Dragons), The cup song (from Pitch Perfect) and classics like Don't Stop Believin (Journey) and Kashmir (Led Zepplin).  She is really enjoying it.  She finished up cello lessons for the summer and starts her piano lessons back next week.  Next week we are also going to go to the Tulsa zoo to see penguins and polar bears.  It will be nice for a change of scenery.

Ok, so now another month means another challenge.  This isn't really a challenge though.  Every day your just supposed to blog about something that makes you happy.  Easy enough.  Today is especially easy because it is my very special kitty's birthday.  She is a whopping 2 years old today.  I honestly can't remember what our house was like without this feisty little kitty.  What started out as my daughter's kitten, has now become mine (yeah, we all saw that one coming).  She is my cuddle bug, fuzzy butt, chunky monkey, my sweet baby Cherrie Berry, Cher Bear, Cherrie Berry Pumpkin Pie (I call her all of these things on a daily basis).  This cat loves dog treats, will come when I call her, will give you kisses when you ask, fetches, has a special curler (one of those pink foam ones) that she carries around the house, loves the ipad, and plays with more toys than both my dogs.  I am so happy Elexis caught her (she was one of my mom's feral cat's kittens).  She helped me through a really hard time when I had to put my 16 year old cat to sleep.  I really do love my cat.  So...

Day 1: What makes me happy...Cherrie.  Happy 2nd Birthday!  Here are a few of my favorite pictures of her.  Some are repeats.

yep, she is a bit feisty, but very lovable!

Photo Day 1: Crust

Peach pie crust

Here is the photo challenge if you want to play along - It's all food.