Becoming

Chocolate Almond Egg Cream (dairy free)

2012-01-25T05:52:00.000-08:00

Chocolate Egg Cream.

I tried a chocolate egg cream at my photography professors suggestion when we were at an old soda shop. This was before my milk boycott. I was little disappointed at first. I had expected there to be an egg at least! I was thinking this drink would be like chocolate eggnog. But I soon found out an egg cream is nothing more than a bubbly milk shake. Which I quickly decided I liked a lot! I saw a recipe for a chocolate egg cream and was thinking it would be fun to make one with almond milk. It is sooooo delicious and looks fantastic with a beautiful white foam on top! I added a few special ingredients to make it my own.

Make your own chocolate syrup for this drink. Its so simple and this way you know there are no mystery ingredients floating around in your chocolate. I used hot coffee to help the sugar dissolve into the cocoa powder. The coffee also give the chocolate an extra deep flavor.

The beautiful white foam on top the chocolate soda is exactly what makes an egg cream so wonderful! The trick is to pour all your liquid is slowly and to stir the chocolate syrup constantly as its being added.

Chocolate Almond Egg Cream (dairy free)

Recipe adapted from Chocolate Egg Cream 2006, Ellie Krieger, foodnetwork.com

1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup hot coffee
1 shot vanilla rum (optional)
1/2 cup almond milk very cold
1 1/2 cups seltzer water (not club soda)

In a small cup, mix together the cocoa powder and sugar. Add the hot coffee and stir well until a syrup is formed. Set aside.

Put the milk into a tall fountain glass. Add shot of vanilla rum if using. Slowly add the seltzer water. Stir gently. Drizzle the chocolate syrup in slowly, being careful to disturb the foam as little as possible. Stir gently with a tall spoon. Your drink should be 2-toned, chocolate-brown on the bottom with a white foam on top.

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The Pie Hole Pie Party

2012-01-17T13:33:00.000-08:00

We had a Pushing Up Daisies marathon and pie party. It was so fun! Guests brought different home made pies. Both sweet and savory. Everyone pitched in! There was also fancy cheese in honor of Chuck's aunts and wine just for the heck of it!

Pear pie with guerrier cheese baked in to the crust.

Chicken Pie with sour cream crust.

Cheeseburger Pie.

Pie makes you happy and makes for a great party.

Then came the bow ties I rescued from Goodwill. Bow tie? Yes and after we figured out how to tie them, things just went from there!

The Bow Tie Pie Hole Pie Party family picture.

me and my sweety pie :)

from: Pushing Up Daisies

2012-01-13T06:21:00.000-08:00

new fav.

2011-11-15T07:26:00.000-08:00

My new favorite thing to wear. Ahhh! Love it! lia sophia.com

Window Art

2011-11-09T06:41:00.000-08:00

Before

After

A few weeks ago my ever supportive mother in-law picked up some old free windows on the side of the road for me. She knows how much I like to decorate with old windows and doors. I was thrilled she thought of me and drought them home. But I was not sure what to do with them. This plain glass window was especially boring so I figured it could not hurt to experiment on such a nice day like yesterday (70 degrees in November! Beautiful)! I had a left over white spray paint can and weird plastic-y dollies from a bag sale.

I taped the corners down with tiny tape dounuts just to hold them in place.

Sprayed till the can was empty which gave me about three good coats.

It was a great way to spend a day outside. There is nothing like crafts in the fall! And now I have a new wall hanging.

My first Baby blanket!!

2011-11-08T04:54:00.000-08:00

I started with little crochet squares of my own design. My mom said they looked like pot holders haha! I used Lion Brand Yarn called Baby's First, which is super soft but not fuzzy which I liked a lot!

Laid them out in a nice pattern.

Then I sewed them together, one on top of another to create long strips of squares.

Next I sewed the strips together. I did not have the yarn needle but a closed safety pin worked fine.

Finally all the little squares came together!

I crocheted

a white boarder around everything to finish.

I was not sure what I was doing but I finished my first baby blanket and I really like it :)

Ezekiel

2011-10-19T06:52:00.000-07:00

New meaning to wearing your food

2011-10-19T04:51:00.000-07:00

I don't know where I get my ideas, so don't ask! haha I just love pumpkin pie a LOT this time of year. So why would it not be awesome to make a pumpkin pie circle scarf??? My favorite part is the little whip cream dollop :) I don't know if I'll be able to make one again, I forget how I did it. Its truly a one-of-a-kind scarf. Check it on Etsy.com

Its the Great Pumpkin (Cookies) Charlie Brown!

2011-10-17T06:56:00.000-07:00

The key to my husband's heart... Great Pumpkin (Chocolate Chip Cookies)!

Little inside joke, my husband friends always teased him that he is the most like Charlie Brown in their group.

If you want to give some for your loved ones they are currently on sale by The Brown Oven on Etsy.com

But if homemade if more your style, you can make them yourself. They are super simple and they makes the house smell great!

Preheat your oven to 350 Degrees

You need:

2 sticks soft butter (unsalted)

1 cup white sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.5 cups canned pumpkin puree

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

.5 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon of BOTH: ground cinnamon, ground ginger

.5 teaspoon of BOTH: ground nutmeg, ground cloves.

2 cup MILK chocolate chips

Get out your electric mixer, a whisk, a large bowl and a medium bowl. Two cookie sheets (lined with parchment paper).

With mixer, cream soft butter and sugars in large bowl, add eggs (on at a time), vanilla and pumpkin puree. Gently stir together flour, baking soda, salt and spices with a whisk in medium bowl. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture in three parts. Stir in chocolate chips. Scoop out desired cookie portions onto cookie sheets. (Ice cream scoop = 15 large cookies, Tablespoon = 30-35 small cookies). Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Up to date

2011-10-12T18:04:00.000-07:00

This week I began my new job as Realitor's assistant. So far, its great :) I take pictures, write blogs, update web sites and the like. Basically I'm doing what I already do all the time but to sell houses, God willing. Which is pretty awesome!

Today I did the laundry, vacuumed, dusted (and I never dust so its a big deal). Made granola bars. Organized my jeans by color (why? I don't know!). Went bra shopping, bought two bras, did NOT try them on and they fit perfect!!! (small miracle). Roasted a chicken for supper and went on a date with a tall dark and handsome man :) A good day.

This month I plan to attend a baby shower and throw a baby shower (for the same mommy to be).

Photo from hostessblog.com

Make a baby blanket. Go swing dancing. Make caramel

apples and caramel corn while the caramel is hot!

Photo from realmomkitchen.com

Photograph jewelry and sell cookies on etsy again.

Trying new things tonite :)

2011-10-10T12:58:00.000-07:00

Chicken Cutlets with Orange and Arugula (Rachel Ray)

Delicious by the way! Everyone LOVED it, and the arugula salad (on top!) really made the dish. I made this gluten free by using fine corn meal instead of flour and crushed up corn checks instead of bread crumbs (food processor). Supper crispy crust! Wonderful mixture of flavors. Try it man! Its good :)

Eating Hallelujah style

2011-10-07T06:36:00.000-07:00

Daniel and I just moved back with his parents two weeks ago. And just as we were settling in they were beginning a two week fast called the Hallelujah diet. We weren't sure that to think about it!

Quinoa Pilaf in Lettuce Cups

It basic takes all dairy, meat and sugar out of your diet. Sound easy??? Not really! Thats why Daniel and I did not participate 100 % haha.

Smash Roast Potatoes

These are the best way to make potatoes yet! They are so crispy crunchy and yet have a soft creamy inside. We eat them with breakfast and dinner!

Butternut Squash Soup with Curry

But we did try some of the foods they were making and I also found some Hallelujah diet approved meals that I made simple edits to. Instead of bread crumbs I used rice, instead of sugar I used maple syrup (which is allowed if its 100 % pure maple.) You get the picture.

Grilled Sweet Potato Salad with Herbs

This salad was awesome! Must try! We skipped the feta cheese and it was still delicious. I probably would skip the cheese even now.

Roasted Broccoli with Gralic

All in all the diet simply took some extra thought. We cooked a lot together and we all felt closer after the experience. And on top of that, to our surprise, we eat some really filling delicious meals.

Crock Pot Baked Apples

Perfect dessert, tasted just like apple pie with out the pie! Maple instead of sugar work so well, we did not even miss it.

Stuffed Young Zucchini

And afterward I made everyone a Pumpkin Chocolate chip pie!!! A well deserved over the top wonderful dessert. Daniel and I had some too ;)

Photo

2011-10-06T07:10:00.000-07:00

featuring lia sophia jewelry

2011-10-05T05:53:00.000-07:00

Nutty Pumpkin Spice Granola

Yesterday I went to work making a fresh batch of homemade granola. When a household is in the middle of a Hallelujah diet granola goes like hotcakes! So I've been making it a lot lately. With the leafs beginning to change color outside I felt inspired to pumpkin spice things up. So I gather a few pumpkin pie essentials and came up with a pumpkin-y, holiday spice, lightly sweeten granola. I was surprised to find the pumpkin puree created wonderful little clumps of granola, which took longer to crisp up, but gave it a great texture. Which makes it even better than my old recipe!

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Add to LARGE bowl:

5 cups Old Fashioned Oats

2 cups nuts of your choice, chopped (I used walnuts and almonds)

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. of each: ground cloves, ginger and nutmeg.

Gently toss through will clean hands.

Whisk in medium bowl:

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup PURE Maple syrup

1/2 cup hot water

1 and 1/2 tbs. PURE vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup plus 1 tbs. pumpkin puree

Whisk until thick and smooth.

Pour pumpkin mixture over oats and nuts. Mix until oats are well coated. Using a large spatula spoon the granola mixture on to two jelly roll trays, flattening out as evenly as possible. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes, stir and rotate trays. (If piece near edge start to get too brown turn oven down.) Bake for another 15 minutes stir and rotate. Turn oven down to 200 degrees and bake for 5-10 minutes more. Leave granola in oven for another 5-10 mins. more for EXTRA crunchy granola. Toss raisins in as granola cools for little more sweetness. Make about 2 ball jars. Enjoy!

elegance

2011-10-04T06:31:00.000-07:00

b ling by lia sophia

sparkly love

2011-10-03T05:23:00.000-07:00

My sister in-law, Stacy is an adviser for the jewelry company lia sophia. I am not making a sales pitch, I promise! Its just that a big box of pretty little purple jewelry boxes arrived in the mail the other day for me to photograph. I just want to post some of the work I've been doing for her. Beautiful things are so fun to photograph! Want can I say? I am a sucker for sparkly things!

Well... maybe a little bit of a sales pitch... Stacy's website is CLICK. Check out the details about the Open House to be held here, in Reading Pa, the Sunday after thanksgiving. What a perfect to way to start your Christmas gift shopping! Just saying ... :)

A Confession of Communion Confusion

2011-10-02T17:59:00.000-07:00

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." - Luke 22-19-20

I always found the ritual of taking communion just that. A ritual. Even though the rest of my faith is very relation based and I tend to avoid notions of practiced rituals; my understanding of communion limited my desire to care deeply for it. I understand the important stuff, so what if communion feels a bit routine?

I think its the emphasis put on the consumption the symbols that stumped me. Eat the bread because its Christ's body and drink the wine because its His blood. I am embarrassed to say, this always made me uncomfortable because it makes me think of zombies movies (which are a guilty pleasure of mine.) Communion seemed more like pretend cannibalism... and thats OK because its Christ. Like if He came back today it might not be that crazy to take a bite out of him.

The pastor at Reading City Church made a helpful point about communion as the service came to a close. He asked whither it was the braking of bread that Christ asked us to remember him by; or was it the braking and the giving of his body that he was asking us to do also as the remembrance? Same with the drinking of the wine. Are we to remember Christ when pouring the wine? Or when we pour out our lives as he did? I realized its not about eat bread/flesh and drink wine/blood, its about braking ourselves and pouring our lives as a remembrance of him.

So yeah, I finally get it! No more zombies. It was like a light bulb...bing!

returning home is good.

2011-09-30T21:54:00.001-07:00

Daniel and I are back in Reading. Today make a whole week since our families came up to help us move out of our apartment. It was small and cheap but I really loved that little place. Change is good. Daniel got a great job. And I have a lot of opertunity for work too. We are around family and friends once again. But I really miss having devotions in my big green chair curled up with a blanket and cup of coffee every morning. And my kitchen.

Surrounded by flowers

2011-04-28T06:22:00.000-07:00

Its been a long winter. But finally spring is in full bloom and I am enjoying it A LOT!

Violets have covered the little lawns around the apartment buildings and my father-in-law told me how good they are to eat and use in cooking.

Despite how weird it is to eat something that was growing in the yard, the flowers are really delish raw. Not kidding! I also found a simple recipe (more like guide lines) to make a violet infused oil.

After washing, I laid the violets and leaves out on trays to wilt and dry.

Than I put about two puts of the wilted violets in a very dry jar and filled it up with olive oil to steep for 2-6 weeks.

I love the way it looks! I also got a lovely surprise in the mail for my birthday!

I do feel so blessed.

Inspiring foods and friends

2011-02-18T07:02:00.001-08:00

I am so excited that my friends Dawn and Amy and little Grace are on their way to see me as I type :) Can't wait to start our day together! Its a little cloudy outside but the temp. reads 50 happy degrees so it should be a good day for a walk and maybe an adventure or two.

My Valentine to my sweetie pie, a flour-less chocolate cake, supper sintchy and incredible tasting! We've been enjoying it all week, it gets better as the chocolate mellows. And yes I will be sharing some with my friends if they so desire ;)

This fruit looks too good to eat in the afternoon light.

My new recipe for thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies is amazing! I love finding a good recipe.

Leah's visit

2011-02-01T08:24:00.000-08:00

My dear friend Leah came to visit me and Daniel this past weekend. We had such a good time with her, lots of laughing and bonding. She is a breath of fresh air :) And she is a good sport when it comes to modeling for me. Even in the freezing cold, she is happy and lovely. We watched Inception which was a good movie but really intense, we followed it with an episode of Dick Van Dyke. She visited our little church and walked around Tunkhannock with me. We took pictures with her camera and my lens. Our lives are so entangled, our camera equipment is one and the same! We are a good team. After a morning of thrift store hunting and finding .50 discard books at the library, she headed home before the snow storm hit, leaving me feeling so blessed in friendship.

Old work

2011-01-26T11:42:00.000-08:00

Looking at old pictures from college and realizing how wrong I was about my pictures. I cherished images that are OK and left out some really good one. I was probably more interested in other people's opinions than my own. On the other hand I remember I thought way too much about my work. Its just interesting looking at the past. As a photographer its literately looking at you have done. Going back to old work and seeing them for the first time is such a pleasure and refreshing, but in the stroke brings embarrassment. Ah but mostly they remind me of an old happiness tied intimately to the act photography. I miss it.

On the table

2011-01-25T07:15:00.001-08:00

I made a hearty potatoes and leek soup last week when we got snowed in a little. Daniel and I recommend this soup while watching "The Lord of the Rings," it puts you in a Hobbit mind set.

Homemade chicken stock, which simmered away while I was at the library and made our apartment building smell wonderful. I was very excited that this batch came out carmel-brown and clear. Last time I used too many fresh herbs and it looks green and cloudy.

Grandpa's spicy pretzels pieces, hopefully a more healthy snack for Daniel's lunch.

The library

2011-01-25T06:53:00.000-08:00

I went to the Tunkhannock Library yesterday. Truly the home away from home and even homehome (my parent's) for me. I left the parking lot wondering why it had taken me so long to get a library card. I felt like a 10 year old again, picking too many books, having to return some to the shelves thinking 'next time I'll take it out' and dropping some on my way out the door. I enjoy books too much. Its kinda like a temporary collection that comforts me. I borrowed about five just about gardening and outwitting deer. And two pieces of fiction with the promise to hold my attention just by the Titles "Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder" by Joanne Fluke and"World Without End" by Ken Follett. The best part of the whole day was the book sale tables out front. Soft and hard cover kid's books for .50 some of which I remember reading over and over as a kid. These were the ones I could not resist.

Anne of Green Gables. I always loved the movies as a kid but did not read the books till my friend Annie promised me I would love the reading more. So I read the whole Anne series as an escape while in collage. The books did to replace my Anne of Green Gables VHS but became a brand new love for the writer L.M. Montgomery.

Thai green curry with chicken, broccoli and mushrooms

2011-01-20T10:55:00.000-08:00

If your interested in trying some green curry here is the recipe.

Serve with basic white rice or rice noodles.

2 (14 oz.) cans unsweetened coconut milk, NOT shaken.
1/2 cup Green curry paste (recipe follows) or 2 Tablespoons store-bought green curry paste. (My mistake! I used 1/2 cup the store stuff lol oh well!)
2 Tablespoons fish sauce (or soy sauce).
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and sliced thin. (I used a breasts from a whole chicken roasted).
Table salt
8 oz. broccoli (1/2 small bunch), florets cut into 1-inch pieces.
4 oz. white mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered
1 Red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4 inch strips.
1 Thai Chile, stemmed, seeded and quartered lengthwise (optional)
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
1 Tablespoons juice from 1 lime.

1. Carefully spoon off about 1 cup of the top layer of cream from one can of the coconut milk. Whisk the coconut cream and the curry paste together in a large Dutch oven, bring to a simmer over high heat and cook until almost all the liquid evaporates, 5 -7 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cont. to cook, whisking constantly, until the cream separates into a puddle of colored oil and coconut solids, 3-8 minutes. Cont. cooking until the curry paste is very aromatic 1-2 mins.
2. Whisk in the remaining coconut milk, soy sauce, and sugar and bring to a simmer and cook until the flavors meld and the sauce thickens, 5 minutes. Season the chicken with salt, stir into the sauce and cook until evenly coated about 1 minute. Stir in the broccoli and mushrooms and cook until vegetables are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bell pepper and Chile (if using) and cook until the bell pepper is crisp-tender, about 2 mins. Off the heat and stir in the basil, mint and lime juice. Serve.

Green curry:
1/3 cup water
12 fresh Thai, Serrano or jalapeno chilies, seeds and ribs removed, coarsely chopped.
8 medium garlic cloves, peeled
3 medium shallots, peeled and quartered
2 stalks lemon grass, bottom 5 inches only, trimmed and sliced thin
2 Tablespoons grated zest from 2 limes
2 tablespoons veg. oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro stems
1 tablespoons minced or grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon table salt

Process all the ingredients in a food processor to a fine paste, about 3 min.s, scraping down the sides of the work bowl as needed.

or come a visit us and I'll make you some ;)

Up todate:

2011-01-20T10:17:00.000-08:00

The holidays were wonderful. We had Christmas Eve - New Years off.

Daniel's days are shorter lately, so we have more time together. In the evening we like to watch old Dick Van Dick episodes and eat Cheerios and drink wine. Being grown up is fun.

Snow falls almost everyday here in Tunkhannock which I love. This spring, Daniel, my friend Rachel B. and I are making plans for a veggie garden. Does anyone have gardening advice for the clueless type?

Happy Valentine's Day Cookies

Coyboy Cookies (Oatmeal, Chocolate and Coconut)

I am still baking cookies but business is predictably slow.

Cooking and baking is my new passion.

Thai Green Curry and fancy chicken rolls are some of the new things we've been enjoying, along with a homemade spicy BBQ sauce.

I made a new batch of granola this morning. If you come to visit I'll be happy to share. This is a Coconut and Almond with Golden Raisins mixture. So good with almond milk.

I am also working on a wedding album. Trying to make sense of all the pictures is overwhelming. I want to get my original edit of about 300 down to 30. And I am thinking of binding my own book for the final group of pictures.

I finally moved my old 4x5 camera from my parent's house up here and I am excited to take it out and make some landscapes. My Hasselblad is still broken but I found a guy about hour away that fixes them, so I am hoping ;)

I am still baking!

2010-11-27T13:22:00.001-08:00

Colorful and winter white sugar cookies and they are as sweet as they look :)

I am working on Etsy again!

2010-11-21T05:52:00.000-08:00

I just posted some new images and some old one (with some corrections) on my etsy shop. If you are looking for thoughtful and unique gifts from Christmas this is perfect for you! :)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/jonabear4

chocolate souffle today

2010-11-19T07:59:00.000-08:00

I long for a chocolate souffle. Not really because it will be delicious but for the challenge of making one.

So from what I understand they are to have fluffy cloud like tops that easily brake into a yummy moist gooey bottom. Its a difficult to serve a souffle of this description because they easily deflate into a chocolate mess in a little bowl. Even if it would deflate, I am sure it would be a yummy mess so I am excited to try.

My plan:

Bring milk and sugar to a boil. Add chocolate powder and corn starch. Cook till chocolate cakes the sides of pan and boils. Let chocolate mixture cool. Butter and sugar insides of ramekins. Beat eggs whites till frothy, add more sugar, slowly! Beat until whites till thick, white and you can make peaks. Fold chocolate into the egg whites. Mix well and fill ramekins. Tap bottom of ramekin to fill any air pockets and smooth down the tops. Bake at 425 degrees for about 8 minutes or until they look like they can't raise any higher. Dust with powdered sugar and serve HOT with cherry ice cream.

Isaiah 1:18-20

2010-11-09T04:43:00.000-08:00

"Come now,
let us reason together," Says the Lord.

"Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be like snow.
Though they are like red crimson, They shall be like wool.
If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land.
If you refuse and rebel, You shall devour the sword";

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

"Come now, Let us reason together," Says the Lord. I love his elegance. His reason and his wisdom, full of purpose to resume a lasting relationship and understanding. And all in the middle of great distress. The distress of the wayward Israelites, Isaiah and the Lord. For God's people had become ugly and evil in their idolatry. As God calls them out and declares through his prophet that they are unclean! They are covered in blood! God is so amazing and pleads "Come now, lets us reason together." Its almost like God is saying "Please don't make me destroy you!" And you can sense his depth of desire to save.

I have been reading the book of Isaiah all month and I can't get over the first chapter.

The Brown Oven

2010-11-02T06:13:00.001-07:00

Today is another day in Tunkhannock Pa. I can spelled it now! And I actually have plans for today! I must drop off cookies at the shop this morning. Return a work jacket for Daniel. And meeting a new friend for lunch :)

... And I'm starting a baking business in my little apartment. ! . I am looking into getting a baking licence and I can't believe how much fun I am having. I just hope I can sell some of these cookies this week!

Sugar Cookie in fally shapes

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip

Oatmeal Raisin

Peace Cookies (chocolatly chocolate!)

Two great animated movies you should see

2010-11-01T06:16:00.000-07:00

Centralia, Pa

2010-10-25T15:29:00.000-07:00

This was a world where no human could live, hotter than the planet Mercury, its atmosphere as poisonous as Saturn's. At the heart of the fire, temperatures easily exceeded 1,000 degrees. Lethal clouds of carbon monoxide and other gases swirled through the rock chambers. - David DeKok (1986)

Centralia is a borough and ghost town in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States. Its population has dwindled from over 1,000 residents in 1981 to 7 in 2010 as a result of a mine fire burning beneath the borough since 1962.
Very few homes remain standing in Centralia; most of the abandoned buildings have been demolished by humans or nature. At a casual glance, the area now appears to be a field with many paved streets running through it. Some areas are being filled with new-growth forest. The remaining church in the borough, St. Mary's, holds weekly services on Sunday and is unaffected by the fire. There is also a notice board posted near Hammie Hill, about 500 yards from the cemetery, protesting the evictions and demanding Governor Rendell intervene.

All text found on Wikipedia.

Here at home

2010-10-21T20:26:00.000-07:00

Its midnight and I can't sleep a wink. So I am sitting at my lap top on stolen internet, sipping herbal tea and thinking about everything. I love our new home, rest assure. The small town, almost everything I need with in walking distance, I love it! We've met lots of friendly people. I think Daniel and I are the only people under 65 in our apartment complex, as far as we've seen. Which we like very much, young people can be rather annoying. Hopefully our new neighbors don't agree. All my windows has trees outside them and sunshine. When I leave our little apartment I am surprise to realize I am not in Reading Pa, I feel so at home already. No I am actually 2 1/2 hours away from Reading. And I'm OK about it all. Home sickness will find me, being away from all my friends and family. But when I'm around Daniel I feel at home and so I am home here in the town who's name I can't spell yet. I feel God's care for our big and little needs so completely and I feel very undeserving. Like a spoiled child getting what they behaved so badly over. Worrying and fretting got me no where, but praying did and God has. I am so thankful for where He has brought us.

Newie new photographs

2010-10-10T17:36:00.000-07:00

New pictures from Hillsgrove Pa.

My wonderful, beautiful Hasselblad is broken. Which forced me to resort to my old 10D Canon camera. But I went out anyways, rain and shine, and photographed and totally got lost in

photography again. Which feels wonderful and fits me just right.

I have also been cooking a lot. Which has been dangerous for every one's health at my aunts house. This pass week I made Peace Cookies (which are a dark chocolate lovers dream come true), Eggplant Parmesan and a delicious cream-free curried sweet potato and apple soup. I including this eatable info so you will want to visit me in the mountains ;)

Broken Tree photo

2010-10-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

Daniel and I are moving! We are currently staying with my Aunt Heidi and Uncle Ronny at their house in Hillsgrove Pa. They have been so great and we have been having so much fun with them! Cooking, watching movies together, running around with Heidi and waiting and praying for what God is doing. We got a cute little apartment in Tunkhannock Pa, which is only 1/2 an hour from Daniel's work office. We have to wait another week before we can move in, but we are so excited to get settle into our own place! The land up here is different (very beautiful and overwhelming at times) and there are a lot of adjustments I have to learn like not having cell phone reception, fewer stores near by and no close friends, thankfully Heidi and Ronny are only an hour away from our new apartment. Its been up and down, and many unexpected last minute changes, but we are both full of peace and a joy only God can explain :) Please pray for us, Daniel will be working out of state this coming week and I will be packing.

The Carpenter fam

2010-07-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

Meet my cousins and their kids, the Carpenters :)

I photographed them at their home last week. We had allot of fun, despite the heat. I love the colors they chose to wear. The blanket is mine, a wedding gift, and it just happened to match them perfect. I love when the details all work together like this!

Jason and Rachel <3

Just the kids.

While I was there I took a few of just Sara for her senior pictures. I hope she like them! I think she photographed beautifully.

The End.

Sneak peek!! (my wedding pictures)

2010-06-24T14:22:00.000-07:00

Jona and Daniel

Married on May 23th 2010

New wedding photos

2010-06-24T13:56:00.000-07:00

New wedding pictures on my Weddings blog. No, not mine. But I'm working on them!

Mumford and Sons - Little Lion Man

2010-06-16T07:02:00.000-07:00

This video makes me want to be British if that makes any sense.

haha

2010-04-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

It seems only right that this etsy shop is based in Scranton, Pa.

www.etsy.com/shop/MaroDesigns .

In OK

2010-03-29T08:19:00.001-07:00

Its a sunny Monday morning is Tulsa OK and I'm here with Daniel and his parent's making preparations to come home in two days. The trip out went smoothly and surprisingly quick. The only trouble we had was alot of the men's bathroom were out of order from Illinois Thur Missouri and that meant alot of lines for everyone. Rather strange but no biggy.

So far I got to:
Hug and kiss Daniel.
Go on a walk.
Took lots of little naps (22 hours in a car really takes it out of you!)
Bought cow girl boots.
Received a beautiful antique engagement ring... he did so good picking one!

Today my do list is helping pack and be happy to do whatever I am told Lol.

As of...

2010-03-24T07:42:00.001-07:00

... today I am official doing make-overs for the studio. I love it! Its kinda like painting and its an important job.. kinda lol! Make up is not as complicated as I once thought. And therefore I am not afraid to use it anymore. Foundation does not look right until you add powder and blush. And of course its ALL about blending. "Blend and blend and blend" (quoting the Avon lady from Edward Scissors Hand). And its all about having the right products and brushes. I guess it like anything else, your only as good as your tools. Eye liner and mascara were made for each other. It just does not look as good with one or the other. This surprised me, because I always thought liner looked too harsh and adding mascara would only worsen it, but it actually softens the look when you add mascara.

... the past few weeks I have begun exploring the art of cooking. Hardly anything to write home about. But... I am cooking none the less... and not just omelets either! It all started at work. Well it really started with people teasing me about only making omelets and how poor Daniel will have to survive on eggs. But I really started wanting to cook when I began watching the food net work at the studio. I know I have a hard job! So it all started with a Fennel, Pistachio Pesto salad and a bread comb and olive pasta dish. AHHH! It was delicious! And fun to make and not hard! Since then I have been roasting veggies, sauteing, seasoning with a bit more boldness. I made a soup I had seen my friend Leah wipe up one time, and it was wonderful when I did it too! I have been shopping at the grocery store with my mom. And trying to make a meal at least once a week. Mondays have become my cooking day, because I have the whole day to devote if needed. This week I make a whole wheat lemon and basil pasta. It was meant to be served with salmon, which would have been perfect! But we did not have any... next time! My next challenge I want to tackle is getting over the creeks for raw chicken. I am determined.

... this Saturday, very early Saturday, Daniel's mom and dad and myself are heading out to Tulsa OK to help Daniel pack and bring him home! I can't wait! I'll see him in four more days. I am so excited to see him, the 22 hours car ride does not even faze me. I am so ready for this trip! I love long car trips. Its almost a guarantee there will be a adventurous story to tell about it later and its totally unavoidable. Long trip at just apart of life. We must all take them at some point.

Today...

2010-03-15T19:05:00.000-07:00

I wore a skirt :)

I had breakfast with Dawn at a good old fashion dinner, my favorite way to start a day off, breakfast with a friend.

Considered buying discounted used movies and decided to pass. The deals on amazon are so much better.
Movies of my wish List: Chocolat, Mostly Martha, Tortilla Soup, Fried Green Tomatoes, Horton Hears a Who and Muriel's Wedding.

Went grocery shopping with my mom. (I am getting better at it and its taking me less time to get through the produce section :)

Eat some nuts.

Went to the gym with Jillian; Rode a bike till my legs felt like jelly (only took 15 mins)
Did the 30 min express (but got jipped for one of the machines around 22 mins and give up.)
Walked a tread mill (which I enjoy the most, to my surprise).

Got gas (so annoying, I can't wait to have a husband to pump gas for me. jk ;)

I made dinner. I cooked a veggie soup all by myself (a version of Leah's soup) and rousted a bunch of delicious veggies for my mom, sis and aunt. Then we watched Ratatouille. (I can't wait have a husband of cook for.)

Etsy shop

2010-02-17T06:26:00.001-08:00

I opened an Etsy shop!

Check it out http://www.etsy.com/shop/jonabear4

I did it! I put a price tag on some of my work. And it feels great. I don't even care if I sell much, that would be nice though. I do care that I finally put my work out there and gave it a sense of worth. A difficult thing for me to do, a humble homeschooler from Berks PA. I prefer giving away prints to friends and family, mostly, I must confess to avoid the sticky subject of how much a photograph should cost and on what grounds. I can't decided if its the fact that I don't value my work enough or if I do too much. It seems no price tag is good enough. But with the help of my friends, I think am getting over this dilemma. At least its a start :)

blizzard pictures from 2010

2010-02-12T11:11:00.000-08:00

Homemade chocolate and peanut butter truffles made by my mom and yours truly. Is there anything more treacherous than wonderful chocolates with 20" of snow outside?

Snow angels, me, Jillian, Wally and my Dad.

Tulsa Ok, 2nd week of January

2010-01-15T07:12:00.000-08:00

I miss Daniel.

Merry Christmas from the little guy

2009-12-10T09:07:00.000-08:00

My cousin's new born, Logan, turned out to be a fabulous little Santa when he came in for his baby pictures. awww :) Click to see more.

deer? yes deer, Holga

2009-12-04T18:27:00.000-08:00

By Jona Care 2009

My mom sometimes tell me to take a picture of things that she thinks would make nice pictures for calendars, like Amish people and children... and deer. Blah! I say. But she was right, deer do make nice subjects, if you can see them.

November Sky, Holga

2009-12-04T18:23:00.000-08:00

By Jona Care

from this fall

2009-12-02T13:59:00.000-08:00

I did not get to photograph much this fall. Which is sad, fall is my favorite season to photograph outside with a roll of 120 and my trusty Holga camera. I only managed two excursions around the neighborhood before Thanksgiving. From three shamefully under exposed rolls of film I was able to scan a few images that I really like... like this one :)
I took this at the Mohnton Park which is a short walk from my house. I love how the colors of the leaves glow and even the the purple of the water seems light. Oh I could not have pulled this off on purpose if I had tried for a hundred years! I am not sure if its printable but I love how it looks on the screen.
More to come ... hopefully soon.
'The weddings must come first,' she told herself with resolve.

Stephanie's Senior Pic.s

2009-11-14T12:37:00.000-08:00

Stephanie Minotto's (my future sis-in law) senior pictures. I think they turned out gorgeous if I must say for myself, not that it was hard to make Steph look good ;)

of no consequence

2009-11-12T18:08:00.000-08:00

So I am aware my blog has been rather shabby of late. Not sure why, but I just have not felt like writing about my life lately. And its been difficult finding time to get new pictures posted. I have been busy doing wedding photos and a lot of year book photos for schools. Its not what I thought I would be doing while I was totally obsessed with the dark room in school. Its just a job and I love some things about it. Like photoshop and internet at my finger tips all day long and a studio full of crazy elaborate sets. Yeah its not all bad.
For your information (but of no consequence):
I am addicted to the new David Crowder Band cd, coffee, lettuce, peanuts, and Joan of Arcadia (I can't seem to stop watching! Jillian borrowed the first and second season on DVD).
I can't seem to sit down and read a book to save my life. Any suggest for a good read?
Daniel is coming on in 14 days. Can't wait to see his face again!
Wedding plans at a stand still... for now.
I would stay in bed if it was not for scarfs and hats.

New Wedding Pictures from October

2009-11-12T18:01:00.000-08:00

Check out new pictures on my weddings blog, see blog lick to the right >
Or click.

Picutures of me by Jillian

2009-10-09T18:12:00.000-07:00

July 2009

These were taken just a few days after I got engaged to Daniel.

Another picture of Jillian from this summer

2009-10-09T18:07:00.000-07:00

July 2009

This pictures make me miss the dark from so much :(

Amy and Brian

2009-09-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

Married September 13th 2009 ... yaya! Dear friends, one old and one new, love em both so much! And are so happy for them. It was a blast being apart of your special day! Below are a few images from the wedding I really enjoyed and wanted to share.

Amy and Brian, Married September 13th 2009

2009-09-30T19:35:00.000-07:00

Summer Photography cont.

2009-09-20T21:42:00.001-07:00

July 2009

Jillian poses for me, she always has. Its often the images right after my commands that turn out interesting. Or as she is trying to do what I ask, she'll do something even better then my idea. She is 18, soon to be 19 this December and more woman than girl. My little sister is still not sure what she wants to do for a living. She is being very wise and is taking general class at the community college. But I hope she give it all up and just goes all out for something she'll really love like art or traveling, may my mom forgive me for saying that!

Summer Photography

2009-09-20T19:59:00.000-07:00

July 2009

hands and bellies are romantic...

2009-08-29T16:37:00.000-07:00

Oh the Dragos!

2009-08-29T16:12:00.000-07:00

These lovely people are the Dragos. The Dragos have gone to my church and been my care group leaders for going on 7 years now! God has been so faith to them, and to me, often through them. They have three little girls and are about to have their forth, a boy. And they all so excited, they can't wait to meet him. We went out to a friends house to photograph Audrey and her belly. It was the my first maternity session ever and I love how they turned out! It was a hot sticky day, but you can't really tell, Audrey, Damien and the girls were all really good about posing even in the heat. I am so happy Audrey asked me to take her pictures, it was a great experience.

Audrey and her belly. I love this portrait for some reason!

Just the girls.

I think they are so cute :)

U2's With or Without You played by one incredible little kid

2009-08-20T17:17:00.000-07:00

Love this little guy.
Love this song.
Listen and enjoy.

Vogue look a like or WOWZERS

2009-08-06T20:06:00.000-07:00

Its been about a month since my last post and for good reason too. Since June I bought a car and got engaged to my bestest buddy Daniel Minotto. (I've been a busy bee). Can't tell you how odd it is to type that or how to convey to you just how happy it makes me. So unbelievably happy! Gush gush gush. I could go on and on but in another post maybe, I want to explain these neatO beauty shots I have here.

My awesome friend Leah asked me to take some pictures for her to enter a hair contest at her salon.

I was really thrilled because she had to create a look based off of this old Vogue Magazine cover and she wanted the final photo to look as close as possible. It sounded like a good old collage assignment! Fun!

It tuned out that the rest of the girls at her job needed photographs also so before long I was shooting the whole class. It was really neat to watching these talented young woman at work and see their models transform into smoking glamor girls!

The final results are amazing! I really enjoyed how Leah's look turned out because it mimicked the original perfectly. Wowzers!

All the models looked drop dead gorgeous and worked so well with me. I loved the whole experience. Here are the final portraits from the rest of the class.

Megan and Kyle

2009-06-30T10:00:00.001-07:00

Megan and Kyle

2009-06-30T09:02:00.000-07:00

Megan and Kyle's wedding was just a few weeks ago (June 20th) but I could not wait to put up some of their pictures. Their wedding was so much fun, lots of emotions, lots of pretty purple and a lot of rain haha. All in all it was a wonderful day, I got to spend time with dear friends and family. And the photographs turned out pretty awesome if I must say so myself. I love my new lens and it was so perfect I got to use it for Megan's wedding.

Aunt Rose was such a great help to have around, she got all the little details just right and she even helped me with my reflector, she was awesome :)

... in honor of Megan's Mother...

... it was gray and raining off and on all morning but as soon as we were done photographing at the church the skies let lose and it rained like that scene from "Its A Wonderful Life" it was really bad! But kinda romantic at the same time...

the best dancing and most fun at a wedding to date.

up to date

2009-06-22T07:12:00.001-07:00

I am going to pick my car today.
Yeah that's right!
I bought a car this weekend, its an old silver Pontiac Vibe and I am trilled. Mission accomplished! I pray all the details go well today.
I did a lactose experiment today. I just drank a big glass of skim milk and that stuff never tasted so bad to me. I have not had a glass of milk straight up since April. I have not eat or drank anything but the milk so far today and I waiting to see how my belly response. Its been about 45 minutes and nothing had happened yet, so that's good.
My friends Megan and Kyle tied the knot on Saturday. I photographed their wedding with my new lens and their pictures turned out great. Really great. I can't wait to look at them more closely but I feel really happy with how the whole day went, even though it rained like that scene in "Its a Wonderful Life" when George Baily and his wife come out of the church, yeah it was pretty bad! But I got my important shots and some really lovely outdoor shots before the wedding. Plan A was to photograph after the ceremony at the stone house in Wyomissing but we went with plan B due to the rain. Plan B ended up being better anyway, but I can't say what plan B was, because it never happened ;) I hope to have the new pictures posted this week.
Daniel is coming home for a two week break this Friday, five more days! I can't wait to see him. Its ridiculous how much you can miss someone.

Jess

2009-06-19T10:49:00.000-07:00

new lens

2009-06-19T09:09:00.000-07:00

I just got my 24-70mm canon lens in the mail this week. For the first time I bought camera equipment new and I don't regret spending the money one bit. I'm thrilled to have a digital SLR system at my disposal. It is such a blessing! Look out friend and family! I going to be looking for people to shot with my new baby.

Jess on the front porch . June 17th 2009

Jess with her pretty green eyes :)

party pictures and shopping fatigue

2009-06-17T10:30:00.000-07:00

Jillian graduated this June! So happy for my buddy. I want her to go for art because I think she is really good and I love her pottery. But whatever she ends up doing is going to be great.

my dad at the grad party.

Volley ball at jillian's party. Sunday was such a perfect day for an outdoor party.

the car search continues ...

I now know I want a vibe

something under 50,000 miles

around $8/9,000

blue or white

That's want I want but I am willing to bend for the closest thing. I am so sick of cars and car sales men. blah.

Pictures from nextitude on facebook :)

2009-06-06T08:12:00.000-07:00

2009-05-30T11:41:00.000-07:00

Meg and Ryan's Wedding

2009-05-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

To my joy, Meg and Ryan asked me to do their wedding pictures this past Saturday. It was so fun being apart of their wedding day as they got ready separately and then came together to make a promise to spend the rest of their lives together for God's glory. So awesome! Here a few of my favorite pictures from their special day.

2009-05-30T11:28:00.000-07:00

2009-05-30T11:18:00.000-07:00

In response to Rachel ...

2009-05-29T07:14:00.000-07:00

things that tell me I am home.

Trees outside my window.
The smell of coffee in the morning.
Talking with my mom and dad on the front porch as the sun goes down.
Dorthy barking across the street.
Golf commentators on the TV.
Piles of laundry waiting to be put away.
Ice cold meadow tea in a Ball jar.
Flowers everywhere in little vases and jars, on the window sills, the tables, up the stairs, on the porch.
Garrison Keillor on the radio.

Home is always different depending upon the season, right now, on the brink of summer, my home is the happiest place to be. In my humble opinion ;)

crazy hoping

2009-05-22T12:53:00.000-07:00

Tonight I have to get ready for a wedding I am photographing tomorrow and the NEXT conference. I wish had realized sooner how crazy tomorrow is going to be. I will be at the Church by 9:30am to photograph the property and building, wait for the guys to arrive, take their pictures, wait for the girls, take their pictures. Shot the ceremony, shot the whole group outside, shot the reception, hopefully leave by 4pm. Meet Jillian at home around 5ppm, hopefully leave home by 6pm, drive to Baltimore, get there by 8pm, find parking, find conference just into for the first session of NEXT. Or at least that's the rough plan.

I still have to test my camera, lens and batteries, make sure I remember how to work everything, shop for snacks and drinks for NEXT, do laundry, check the jeep's fluids, go over directions with my dad, pack for the wedding, pack for the conference, lay out clothing for tomorrow and hopefully all by 10pm for a good night's sleep.

Hopefully, hopefully, hopefully everything will happen just right. I want to enjoy every bit of the craziness I planned for myself. I love photographing weddings for my Christian friends, its so precious to be apart of their day. And I always get good ideas for my own wedding I hope to have someday. I want to enjoy Jillian as we drive to Baltimore, maybe I should let her drive this time. I want to enjoy the conference, and all my best friends and everything that God has for us this weekend.

Today ..

2009-05-18T14:47:00.001-07:00

I slept in.
I was newly warmed by the love my of savior.
I snooped around the house and found some photo albums :) They were fun.
I took Deago for a walk, carried poop half way home :p but he enjoyed himself which is what is important.
I did pilates, Deago wanted to help, but I had to be very firm about him not doing so.
Took a shower.
I cut my ankle with a razor, bleed, discovered band aids above the fridge.
I had a bowl of mango and banana (I used my birthday bowl from Leah :)
I picked my mom up at home and went shopping with her for red, white and blue light bulbs (my father's new vision for the front porch) and flowers for the house.
Help mom cut veggies for the ratatouille.
Now I waiting for dinner ...

Note to self:
I don't deal well with small disappointments.

Star Trak :D

2009-05-12T13:31:00.000-07:00

The Star Trak trailer was becoming all too distracting.

Today I have the pleasure of sharing my breakfast with the company of a handsome and strong young gentlemen. He is very hairy and likes to rub his noise on my pants, but I don't hold it against him, no one is perfect. My first morning dog sitting for Deago went well. He came into my bed room (formally Daniel's room) and woke me up with his face pushing through a large pile of pillows on my bed, tail wagging. I think he was just happy to discover he had not been left alone altogether.

I am not sure what to do next.

Eat a hearty bowl of oat meal? Or scramble some eggs?
Exercise?
Explore around the house?
Take a shower?

pictures from around my block

2009-05-12T13:04:00.000-07:00

Recently ...
I saw Star Trak last night. AWESOME movie!
I am fasting. For prayer and for cleansing.
I bought new shoes today. I love Rocket Dog slip-ons.

The Valley of Vision for this moment ...

2009-05-11T09:26:00.000-07:00

(The last lines from)
Regeneration

"Thy presence is to me a treasure of unending peace;
No provocation can part me from thy sympathy,
for thou hast drawn me with cords of love,
and dost forgive me daily, hourly.

O help me then to walk worthy of thy love,
of my hopes, and my vocation.

Keep me, for I cannot keep myself;
Protect me that no evil befall me;
Let me lay aside every sin admired of many;
Help me to walk by thy side, lean on thy arms,
hold converse with thee,
That henceforth I may be salt of the earth and a blessing to all."

up to date

2009-05-11T08:02:00.000-07:00

Mother's day. My mom found her little daises from me on the table Sunday morning. No thanks to me. I had left them in the jeep to hid them from her, but had totally forgotten about them. Thankfully my father rescued them from the jeep floor before the rolled around too much. My aunt Heidi is staying with us for a few days and also got to celebrate motherhood with us. Mammy seemed to enjoy her day of honor pretty well. She had eggs ben for breakfast, visited and watched golf with my father. She was well behaved around my sister and I but later I was told she throw laundry at my aunt when they were at her apartment at the nursing home. Getting old seems frustrating for everyone involved.

Oklahoma. Daniel in living in Tulsa Oklahoma while attending the aeronautics college there. Tulsa is a strange community. The city of Tulsa is nice, it is just missing people. The suburbs are much busy than the city. Its reminds me of a beach town you might find on the East coast, its just that its in the middle of no where, its very big and no beach. Its a college town, therefor every building and home seems set on the fact that no one living there will live there long, so quality of life is not really the point. Daniel told me Tulsa was OK. And I agree with him its just plain, in the middle of nowhere Ok. I was there this past week and OK was awesome! I realized while I was there with Daniel and his mom, that my boyfriend has some how become one of my best friends. It seems that it should be the other way around. It rained Saturday (we got there around 3pm) Sunday, Monday and alittle on Tuesday. It was really blah weather the three days we were there, chilly and gray. But we had a great time just hangout in Daniel's apartment, playing dominoes, eating in, watching movies. Nothing else really mattered because we were together. I know that sounds like a line from a sappy love song, but its a true sentiment I have discovered is difficult to express without visiting the realms of The Beatles.

Deago. Deado is Daniel's dog which I will be watching this coming week. I am praying it was a good decision to offer to puppy sitting for the Minottos while they are away. I am use to big dogs, but Deago is bigger than the typical big dog and while he is sweet as they come, I'm a little anxious to be in his charge.

25th. I turned 25 two weeks ago. Twenty-five is such a beatified aged in the movies, the black and white ones anyway. Although it makes no sense, to me Audrey Hepburn, Marylin Monroe, Princess Grace seemed to be 25 their entire lives. Its the age that young womanhood seems to cast the most glorified glow as she enchants the audience with her grace and elegance. I however, feel like a 14 year old looking for her chap stick in the back of audience with a flash light. My metaphors need work. But I hope you know what I mean anyway. Its undeniable the "grown up age." I have a hard time seeing myself as 25. lol.

Work. I will be returning to work for the studio on the 16th. This Saturday! I am blessed with this knowledge. God is my provider :) But I feel lazy in my heart, I would rather have my day to myself as I have grown use to having it. I have generated some good new habits such as eating better, drinking more water and exercising. But to balance this good I also have some bad old, old, old habits such as sleeping in, selfishness with my time and money, and neglecting God's word. I pray God will help my filter the bad out of the good as I return to a work schedule.

Deago

2009-05-09T13:34:00.000-07:00

All too random for a title

2009-04-29T09:57:00.001-07:00

I realize that my last post title sounds like photography is a downer for me or a thing that I should rid myself of. I did not mean that. I was trying to convey a sense of being overwhelmed by the photographs from my past that I am having trouble letting go of simply for sentimential reasons. Do I need that photograph of Jillian on the roof? which I can't even remember what year it was created ... well yes! Need? No but I don't care. How can I keep so many photographs in boxes, how can I justify it? They take up space. I can't have them all out either, I would have not place to sit or walk. What will become of them? I need to do something with them.
Any thoughts?
My birthday week is progressing beautifully. Not a single day has gone by that I was not reminded by a friend or family member how loved I am. I love birthday weeks. haha I don't know when they started but at some point (in high school) my birthday celebrating branched into a seven day (sometimes more) affair rather than one big day. Perhaps its just my nature, I prefer one on one encounters as apposed to large group gatherings/parties. I know I am not alone in this, but I love parties, just not when they are for me. Some how, a visit to the dentist is more appealing. Yes she may have needles and all sorts of jagged tools, but I would rather spend 20 minutes with her than two hours with 20 people focused on me. I think I am unearthing a heart issues here, ugh! That always happens when I type too long.
Cutting to the chase...
My Dad, who knows me so well, bought me the entire fifth season of "Star Track: The Next Generation" on DVD. Sweet! I love Lt. Commander Worf's hair! I hope to get all seven seasons. My mom is actually a little happy about this because she will know what to buy me for the next three Christmases and birthdays.

Jess cleaned my car for me in honor of my 25th, and let me tell ya, that was no small job, she really really loves me :) as only big sisters can.
I got a really random job on my birthday at the little cafe near my house. I have never waitressed before, but its not bad. Best of all, I did not break anything on my first day. God is so good to provide this opportunity for me, I was not even looking for work. I asked my owners for an application with Jillian in mind. They looked at each other than back at me and said "Can you start tomorrow?" hmmm... haha actually... yes. They know I am laid off and can only work until I go back to the studio, which is great that want to give me work despite that. The baker at the Heros Cafe is a soon to be retired nurse at the Reading hospital. Her son is the main cook who used to paint houses and her daughter who does all the waitressing was a stay at home mom, but now she is a stay at the cafe mom, her four year and six year are really sweet and they hangout there when they are not in school. Its like they just decided one day to start a cafe as a family, and now thats what they do together and they really love it.

the burden of photography, in a literal sense

2009-04-25T21:21:00.000-07:00

Friday I got really motivated and decided to get out all my photographs from the past four years and organize them! After nine trips down the stairs I had gathered all my boxes, mattes, suitcase, books and portfolios in the living room. I knew I had allot, but it was pretty overwhelming at first. I started a trash pile right away, prints from my first semester of digital photography were the first to go! I can't believe I had kept some of the things I had. I made a save pile, which started over and over again as I went through different projects. Even though I may end up throwing them away in 5 years I am just not ready to part with pictures from freshman year. Maybe someday. I also made a sale pile, I still have a lot of thinking to do about that one.

photogenX

2009-04-22T13:25:00.000-07:00

photogenX
Vision:
(taken from the web site)

The vision of photogenX is to use photography as a tool for cultural transformation so that issues such as gender based injustice will be issues of history instead of the future.
photogenX advocates for those who cannot speak for themselves (a voice for the voiceless) and challenges the current global status quo.
In addition photogenX seeks to capture the people and places of every nation in the world showing off their beauty but not masking their pain.

Afghanistan

Africa

North Africa

Be sure to check out their website here. I am so thrilled that their vision matches their photography skills. Their photograph work is just beautiful! Their mission is compassionate and effective. I can't help but bit my lip and pray that God gives me the right reasons to go on a tour with them.

Gracious Lord,

2009-04-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

Thy name is love,
in love receive my prayer.
My sins are more than the wide sea's sand,
but where sin abounds, there is grace more abundant.
Look to the cross of thy beloved Son,
and view the preciousness of his atoning blood;
Listen to his never-failing intercession,
and whisper to my heart, 'Thy sins are forgiven,
be of good cheer, lie down in peace.'
Grace cataracts from heaven and flows for ever,
and mercy never wearies in bestowing benefits.
Grant me more and more
to prize the privilege of prayer,
to come to thee as a sin-soiled sinner,
to find pardon in thee,
to converse with thee;
to know thee in prayer as

the path in which my feet tread,
the latch upon the door of my lips,
the light that shines through my eyes,
the music of my ears,
the marrow of my understanding,
the strength of my will,
the power of my affection,
the sweetness of my memory.

May the matter of my prayer be always wise, humble, submissive,
obedient, scriptural, Christ-like.
Give me unwavering faith that supplications are never in vain,
that if I seem not to obtain my petitions
I shall have larger, richer answers,
surpassing all that I ask or think.
Unsought, thou hast given me the greatest gift,
the person of thy Son,
and in him thou wilt give me all I need.

(from The Valley of Vision, author unknown)

2009-04-21T17:08:00.001-07:00

I don't have much to say today. I just wanted to put up some more pictures. I have been in a emotional funk since I drove my sister to the airport this afternoon. The ride there was nice, we talked a little but nothing ground breaking. The ride home was great too. I was afraid I would get lost coming back but on the contrary I had no problem following my mom's direction, the weather was pleasant, the music was on the radio. I got home and it seemed one thing after another started hitting me and everything that I knew to be true began to develop feelings. I don't believe I was in denial of anything but I may have been in denial of how I am being effected. My mind and heart rarely see eye to eye.

Deago, Daniel and the trees in the back yard

2009-04-21T16:55:00.000-07:00

All taken March 2009

Pictures from Daniel's house

2009-04-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

Both taken March 2009

Did it

2009-04-20T19:01:00.000-07:00

I finally register and just in the nick of time. Yeah!
I love this scripture they had up on the website. I am really happy I am going.

2009-04-20T15:27:00.000-07:00

more pictures on my facebook, just click here or one the picture :)

Si's graduation ceremony 4/17/2008

2009-04-19T06:29:00.000-07:00

woo hoo!

Back from SC

2009-04-18T15:40:00.000-07:00

I just got back from South Carolina early this morning (around 3:3o am). The whole family, plus Grandma, Grandpa and Stephani (Si's girlfriend) went down this past week for Si's graduation from the Maine's boot camp. It was probably one of the coolest things we ever got to do as a family. It was hard to hid just how proud I was of him, no one could if they wanted to! Its just a worldly achievement, God's ordained it all so its not like Si can take all the credit but wow! He is Marine. Its not only that he has a title, its the owning of the title, his change in demeanor, his thoughtfulness is his speech, his unapologetic confidence, surprising politeness and even the way he walks that marks what he has become, which is allot more than just a solder, he has become a man (pardon the cheese).

So the most of my day has been unpacking, trying to decided what to eat (after eating out for the last four days its hard to remember to plan your own food, which is pathetic I know), getting ready for Si's homecoming party, napping, crocheting, cashing a winning lottery ticket ($10!) and well that is it so far.

2009-04-13T16:34:00.001-07:00

There is no grace in imagination, my friend Rebecca pointed out to me the other day, but here is plenty of grace for reality.

I love the sensibleness.

to be continued ..

2009-04-11T14:00:00.000-07:00

At Daniel's house

2009-04-11T13:35:00.000-07:00

I hung out at Daniel's house the day before he left for Oklahoma and I made it a priority to take some pictures. It was a strange relief to find that photographing him and around him felt natural. It also helps that he is good looking and lives in a gorgeous house. :)

What i have learned of late...

2009-04-10T14:26:00.000-07:00

Dying eggs with natural ingredients (such as beets, spinach, turmeric, and blue berries) is very fun and can keep a hot mess like me in the kitchen for hours! The spinach and blue berries did not really work, I had to cheat by adding food color to the pot. The turmeric worked beautifully! It makes a golden yellow stain which comes out really bright. Its a very happy Easter color.

Gyros and pizza are not my friends, they are a two faced, delicious hall way pass straight to the toilet :(

My brilliant friend Rebecca gave me some relationship advice, which is hard to maintain but really really GOOD!

The girl's DON'T list when interacting with boys:
Don't assume, don't expect, don't initiate, don't manipulate, don't run.

(I thought the boy's list was pretty great too.)
The boy's DO list when interacting with girls:
Communicate, communicate, communicate, communicate, communicate.

Taken at Daniel's house

2009-04-09T13:52:00.000-07:00

another forgotten picture

2009-04-09T13:38:00.000-07:00

This was on the same roll Nolan was on, so it must be from a field trip to Philadelphia about two years ago. Its such a random image and it has a rushing feeling to it. I can remember when I took it and at the time I felt like it was a waste of film. But now that I'm seeing it again for the first in years, it seems really special.