Midweek Randoms

• I believe last week we left off with my trip down to Stillwater with three of my uber fabulous photographer friends. We attended a little workshop with Lauren Clark. Lauren is one of the first photographers I started following when we were beginning our own business. I've followed her blog for years and feel like I know her pretty well (isn't blog land the weirdest thing? Weird but awesome!) It was sort of like meeting an old friend and at the same time meeting a celebrity. Anyway, we basically just sat around her adorably decorated home and talked shop, we ate lunch at new hole-in-the-wall taco place on The Strip called "Mucha Lucha". It was good even though lunch was a bit hurried. After that we photographed a couple, then talked more shop, took some head shots, and went on our way... but not before stopping for some frozen yogurt. =) The time with these girls was pretty stinking priceless. I feel honored to call them colleagues but I'm even more pumped that I can call them friends. I kind of laugh when people talk about "the competition". I don't know - I guess I just don't see it that way. Everyone's professional, we share referrals, loan each other things, and since we each have a different style, etc... I just don't see it as a problem. It's a very supportive group. I'd hate to work in a cut-throat market. This is much more fun. =) It was a blast and I can't wait to hang out again. 

• Here's a couple pictures from the day. The first is my head shot Lauren took. The second is of our group. From left to right, it's: Sara, Laura, and Jennifer. If you don't already, you should go like them on Facebook. They're cool. 

• I'm still hacking and snorting with the best of them thanks to some of the worst allergies I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. I've managed to keep it from going to a full-fledged sinus infection though, so I'm going to chalk that up as a success.

• Friday, I ran some errands with Val and then we met her and Austin down at the Casino for supper. 

• Saturday, we went to a little "sprinkle" for Cori. Her sister Beni's been in town and wanted to surprise her with a shower. We met several members of Cori's family at Il Vicino's in Wichta, ate pizza, and she got to open lots of fun girly twinsie gifts. =)

• Sunday, we went to church, then went on a little brunch date to Brick's. I had my usual jumbo pancake and egg and Dac had biscuits and gravy. We sort of felt like old people knowing so many people around town. Haha! (Before you know it we'll be saying "oh you know... ol' {insert last name only} that lives out yonder...") It was nice though. I think we should do that more often! We've been horrible about making time for dates again. 

• The contractors have been over working away on our spare room. It should be finished today (all except refinishing the floor, which Dac has to work on this weekend). The paint color I picked is looking a little "holy aqua" instead of the nice robin egg blue I had envisioned. Oh well, we'll live with it for a while and can re-paint later if we need to (which I'm pretty sure we will). Also, our new lights are on order. Maybe, JUST maybe, the room will be move in ready before family comes for the reunion in less than two weeks. Yikes!!

• Speaking of robins... did I mention we have a nest on our porch? Robins happen to be my favorite birds (they're orange... duh, and nice of course) so I'm pumped. We had one out in the tree last year but this is even more up close and personal. There's three blue eggs in there! Can't wait to see the little babies. =)

• I got a new shirt while at Target yesterday. It's a super soft, ruffly, sleeveless shirt with a bright and funky print. I wore it today and am kind of loving it.

• I also bought two new pans to replace my awful ones I had to throw out. Kind of excited about those too. What? It's the little things...

• My drink of choice today is vanilla coke. Not sure why, but I'm especially digging it.

• I feel like going out for a walk. The problem is, by the time I go home today, I'll no doubt be too tired to want to still. And it'll likely be hot. AND there's the whole allergy thing. Sigh. My work day gets in the way of a lot of things. =) 

• I guess that's about it. Stay tuned for pictures of the guest room! Holla!

Midweek Randoms

• Last Wednesday, Steve came over to help Dac and his dad with our spare room. SO - I ordered pizza and Cori, Charli, and I hung out while the boys did all the work. Then, I went over to Kayla's to watch Criminal Minds. It'd been quite a while since I'd seen her so it was good to catch up.
• Thursday was Wii Night. Cori made yummy enchiladas!
• Friday night, Dac and I went to Taco Bell to grab some supper. That turned out to be quite the adventure. I felt like I was at a WTP (white trash party). I couldn't possibly do this story justice with words but I'm pretty sure some counterfeit money was involved, as were the police, and lots of ridiculousness... but we got a good laugh out of it. It was like "dinner and a show!" and we got our meal for 10% off... which means we saved like 75 cents maybe? =)
• Saturday was "dun duh duh duh!!!" Matt and Krystle's wedding. It was beautiful. Krystle was beautiful, Val was a beautiful bridesmaid, and the reception was one heck of a good time. It was straight out of Southern Weddings Magazine and if anyone can have a party... Krystle can have a party! We got home that night and stayed up watching the weather coverage. We feel so fortunate to have missed all the destruction. My heart breaks for those in Wichita who lost homes and especially for those in Woodward who lost friends and family too. What was it, like 119 tornados or something? Just awful. Tornadoes fascinate me, but I hate all the loss and pain they can cause.
• Sunday, I was lazy lazy lazy. Slept in a little, ate, watched more Jericho, went and got a small lunch and some drinks for Dac and David. Then, Terese came over and spent the afternoon before we got pizza for everyone. Val came over a while later, I ended the night with more Jericho, and that was that. Couldn't have been much less productive.
• Last night I took Sky along for some errands. I hadn't seen here in well over a month so that was good. She's really a lot of fun! Ran her mouth the whole time! =) Did I mention we've been matched for over 5 years now? It was 5 years in March. If you would have told me 5 years ago that she'd be as chatty as she is now, I wouldn't have believed you. She's almost like a whole new person... only still her too.
• This week I've been struggling with this sore throat/cough/drainage thing. YUCK. I feel like absolute pug breath. =( In case you don't have a pug... that's no bueno. I go to the doctor this afternoon. Hoping he can help!
• Let's see... our spare room is now insulated again, the paint is pretty well off the wood floors, and the sheetrock should be up this week. I can NOT explain how ready I am for this to be done. RED-EEE.
• I finally used my new orange toe polish. LOVE.
• I have a new found love for cocoa almonds. YUM. Almonds dusted in a dark chocolate coating. It was made to be. My aunt had some up at the hospital one day and I was hooked. You try... you like.
• Tomorrow, I'm taking a vacation day to head to Stillwater with 3 other photographer friends. We're participating in a workshop and making a girl day out of it. I'm hoping I feel better by then because I'm really looking forward to it. Hope to learn a lot and get to know these great girls even better.

Midweek Randoms

• I believe last time we left off with Criminal Minds. I made some steak tacos and Heather joined me to eat, do some major catching up, and solve a crime. =)

• Thursday, Dac and I met my parents for Mexican. Then later that night I went to Braum's with Kayla. Good night of catching up with a few of my favorite people.

• We had Friday off for Good Friday. We did lots of stuff around the house, I finished watching The Event, and we went down to the casino for lunch with Terese, Val, Cori, and Steve. Got a delicious cheeseburger on jalepeno cheese bread and cheese fries! =) That evening we went to Good Friday service at our church (Call me morbid, but Good Friday has always been one of my favorite services. I like it.) then went to see Mirror, Mirror with Val, Steve, Cori, and Charli. Then Braum's. Yep. We're bad.

• Saturday we got up early for a session in Wichita. Problem is, it started storming cats and dogs on our way there, so the session got cancelled. We didn't let that stop us from getting Panera bagels and hitting up Target and Lowe's though. Kind of made a date out of it.

• I started watching Jericho that evening. I'm loving it and can already tell I'll be sad it's only two seasons.

• Sunday, I wasn't feeling so hot when I woke up. SO - for like the first time ever, we skipped sunrise service but got around for regular church. We watched the little kids hunt eggs afterwards and went out for lunch.

• That afternoon, Dac worked on sanding the wood floors in our spare room (you know, the room we've been working on for two years now...) we're getting SO much closer to having it done once and for all. Steve, Cori, and Charli came over to help and even brought food. They're totally confused about how that works but we were super thankful!! =)

• I got the orange nail polish I was wanting. Haven't used it yet but I'm sure it'll be fab.

• Work is the last place I want to be this week.

• I like fruit salad.

• I've been helping take care of my aunt's dogs this week. A boxer and a basset hound. Ridiculous but kinda cute. =) Like my dog... he's so pugly he's cute. =)

• Criminal Minds again tonight. Woop!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Today marks two years since I got that message. It marks two years of missing you... two years of questions... Two years of moving forward but not forgetting.

It also marks two years since you became cancer free... you were healed! Today will be a little less hard because of that.

We may have lost - but you came out a winner. To that I say, KABOOM.

Love and miss you Ryan Rufus.