Hello World!

Hello world.

It's nice to talk to you again on my very own blog.  It's been awhile.  Why, you may ask?  My sister and I decided to create our own blog right here.  So I have mainly been focusing on that blog and have completely neglected this one, and have been contemplating what on earth to do with this one.  For now, I suppose I shall update this one every now and then.  Only when I really feel like it.  Like today.

Life is great.  It is so interesting to see where life takes you.  Sometimes, I think we (I) just get caught up in the daily to-do's that we (I) forget to take a step back and realize all the wonderful things that have happened to make life fall into place...just as it should be.  Life is a miracle.  I look at the things that have happened over the last year and a few months, and I would have NEVER predicted it to take me where I am today.  But I feel so grateful and so blessed to have what I have and to have experienced what I have been through.  It is a complete blessing and miracle.  Sometimes, it just doesn't seem real.  It is just flat out crazy to see how things have just fallen into place, especially when it all seemed downright impossible.  But nothing is impossible with the Lord.  Also, I love the quote by Audrey Hepburn.  To paraphrase, she said, "Nothing is impossible, for the word itself says 'I'm possible' ".  Cute, right?  And oh, so true.

I just feel grateful.  And happy.  Oh, so happy.   :)

Secrets

Shhh....Don't tell...

I have a secret.

And I am not telling.


But! It is Wednesday, and because it is Wednesday, I have decided to let you in on a (different) secret in my life. I am addicted to blogs. Sadly, it is pathetic.

I just can't get enough of the wit and humor of blog.cjanerun.com.

Or the touching and often times romantic story of cjane's sister at nieniedialogues.com

Then there is the party/design blog of Jordan Ferney.

I could go on and on. But I won't. But check them out. You will fall in love with their words, images, and stories.

Or perhaps run the other direction and protect yourself from scouring the pages of delight, in turn consuming all of your free time. (I have a LOT of free time on my hands at work...hence the reason I can't really run away.)

Run. Far.

However, would you like to know my (other) secret from above?

Too bad. Perhaps another day.

The GPS...

Writing makes me feel better. Mucho better. Somehow, it helps to release everything that I am feeling. I am not sure if I am happy to have some of those feelings captured down in ink, but wow...does it feel good to get it out. Sometimes, I am not sure how to release emotion...but words somehow help with that. No worries...all my craziness will NOT be revealed in this blog, for I have hidden it away in my journal. So, if you are mighty curious to know what is going on in my life, I encourage you to try to capture my journal and steal a look inside. But really, I don't encourage you to do that. I would be very, very angry. It isn't often that I get super upset, so I what I really want to encourage you to NOT do is to bring out the inner demon in me. It is not pretty. Not one bit.

That was all a bit of an intro to this post, titled "THE GPS OF DOOM!" Ok, not of doom. More like hope. Or of the future. Much more optimistic words. I had this realization the other day at church, that life is like a GPS. Nice, right? I mean, many times in our life, we have this destination...this goal...this dream. So we embark on our journey. But often times, we get lost on the way. Luckily, Heavenly Father is patient with us and says, "Please make a U-Turn as soon as possible." Sometimes we make that U-turn. Sometimes we don't. But he always is there, reminding us kindly, to make a U-Turn. Even if we have strayed far from the destination...or even the starting point. Sometimes, at this point, He reroutes our path, and if we but listen and rely on Him, we still make it to the destination.

I am on that path. I am trying to reach these goals, these dreams of mine. I hope I haven't made a wrong turn. I hope that I have the volume on my GPS up on high. I hope, that even if I make a wrong turn, He will bring me back onto the path. Life is quite the adventure, but man, would I be lost without my GPS.

-ERIN

Just Can't Live Without You

It's Saturday.

You know what that means...A whole day to be LAZY.

Ok, fine. At least half of it! So what does my laziness bring me to?

Blogging.

AND

these wonderful sites that I have come across over the last few months and just can't escape. So I made a list for your viewing pleasure, and with the hopes, that I won't be alone in my addiction. (Misery loves company, right? Or in this case, guilty pleasures love to be justified.) So here it goes, the wonderful list created by yours truly.

Addicted to:

Rae Portraits Jessica, the photographer of these gorgeous pictures, grew up not too far from me. I didn't know she took photos until a few months ago, and once I saw her work, I was hooked. They are so dreamy and just absolutely stunning. I have not found anything quite like it.

Nie Nie's Blog I could spend HOURS on this blog. It is beautiful. She is truly inspirational. Not only that, but her pages ring with romance and her children are the cutest things in the world. I'm such a sap. To learn more of Nie's story, click here.

Etsy I love, love, LOVE this site. I receive a lot of creative inspiration through this site. Check out a few of my favorite things.

Useful:

I just ran across this. Don't we all struggle with keeping our apartment/home/cardboard box clean? At least I hope I'm not alone...Please tell me I'm not alone.

Lazy Saturday

I love Saturdays. With no where to be, and no obligation at hand, it gives me the excuse to stay in my pjs for over half the day. I love it.

This is me sporting my pjs and the rain boots...in which I ran around town. I know...shocking...and honestly, this is a very rare occurrence for me. But this is what we tend to accomplish:

Magic Pancakes and omlettes! Score!

On a completely different note...Check this out:

I want to make this. Cute no?

Can anyone think of a better way than to spend a Saturday? Anyone?

Love My Job

Okay, so I know I often times have "off" days at work...but where else can I make tiny flags for Groundhog's Day?In honor of the beloved holiday (seriously, this is a big deal chez moi), I made "groundhogs" in a blanket for dinner, served with corn on the cob, fries, and for dessert, "dirt" cups, each with its own complimentary groundhog (or snickers fun-size bar). Bon appetit!

The tradition of groundhog's chez moi dates back nearly 10-12 years ago, where we began our annual tradition making groundhogs out of socks and shooting them with rubber band guns. I know you are jealous.