My TOMS shoes

I love my red TOMS shoes so much! My mom bought them for me as a wedding present because I wanted them for the reception. I knew I wanted a flat, comfy shoe for dancing, red was one of our theme colors, and I fully support their cause. There is a child somewhere on this planet that needed shoes, and that child was given a free pair when my mom purchased my pair. Awesomesauce.

Moving on, I mentioned last week that I had photographed my TOMS at the beach.

Well, I put together a little collage of my favorite photos from that mini beach photo shoot:

Here is a fun Before & After collage for Kelly's link-up:

Here's a shot that could be so much better, if not for my point and shoot camera's limitations:

And here's one that I decided to use for Laura's link-up:

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Menu Plan Monday - 6.27.11

Here is this week's plan:

Monday - Cheesy Ravioli Casserole
Found this recipe in a crockpot cookbook my mom lent me. I am using our brand-new crockpot that my grandma bought us as a bridal shower present. I spent some time yesterday tenderly washing the pot and eagerly reading over the manual. And taking pictures. Seriously. It should NOT have excited me so much.



Tuesday - Sandwiches in the car
This is our 3rd and last time eating dinner in the car while driving an hour away to see the LOTR movies in theatres.

Wednesday - Chicken
Honey teriyaki sauce, and a veggie.

Thursday - Burgers, green, potato salad, pasta salad.
I need a break from corn on the cob. I got small containers of potato salad and pasta salad when I bought cold cuts at the deli. If I made either one from scratch, we'd be drowning in leftovers.

Friday - leftovers
As usual.




If you want to join in with the weekly menu planning, head over to Org Junkie every Monday!

I've been sitting here on the couch (with its pretty new slipcover, another gift from the bridal shower), listening to dance and trance music on pandora, taking advantage of my awesome Next buttons, reading blogs, looking at photos, and totally ignoring responsibilities, for a good 2 hours now. And while I could easily do this for several more hours, there are clothes to be folded and dinner to be made[nope, that's done!] and homework to be done for pre-cana (premarital counseling that is required by our church).

Not to mention wedding planning! While the invitations were mailed out 2 weeks ago, I still have to make several phone calls to confirm details. My mom and I went to pick up the favors today, and the placecard holders were already delivered. It's a lot of little things now, like printing actual placecards, designing the programs, scheduling dress fittings, etc. I can't believe it's less than 2 months away!!

Quotography and GTKY

The theme for Quotography this week is Friendship, so I thought I'd share a photo of me with my maid of honor. We've been best friends since high school, even though we attended different schools. This shot is from 3 years ago.




________________________________

And this week's questions for GTKY:

1. have you ever gone to see a movie by yourself? Several times! When I am traveling for work in the fall, I often find myself alone, with 4-5 hours to kill. Seeing movies are a great way to pass the time (when I have a few extra bucks to spare).

2. would you rather go through a tornado or a hurricane? All natural disasters terrify me - tornadoes, hurricanes, avalanches, tsunamis, etc.

3. have you made summer vacation plans? I'm spending the summer preparing for my wedding. My future husband and I will be going on a cruise for our honeymoon at the end of August.

4. what's your favorite accessory (can't be jewelry)? Purses are not my thing. Neither are shoes. I like accessorizing with sneakers, and sometimes headbands.

5. have you ever been thrown a surprise party? Sort of. Jon (my fiance) likes to plan surprise dinners for my birthday.

6. are you friends with your neighbors? Friendly? Yes. We have a little old lady underneath our condo, and a couple with an adorable dog right across from us.

7. what's the last movie you saw in the theater? It's been a long time... Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I.

8 what's your favorite food network show? We only have basic cable, so we don't get the Food Network. But my mom and I watch Chopped together when I go to my parents' house. I also like Cupcake Wars and Last Cake Standing. Jon likes Iron Chef.


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No MPM today. I have no plans for this week other than salad and cereal. I'm skipping grocery shopping this week since Jon is still away, training for his new job.


Just one other thing - I am participating in the Flip Flop Swap next month! There is still time to sign up. CLICK HERE for more info!

A to Z of Amy!

I saw this over on Teacher Girl's blog and just knew I had to play along!

A. Age: 25.

B. Bed size: Full. I wanted a queen, but it was more money. Duh.

C. Chore you dislike: Washing dishes. And folding laundry.

D. Dogs: My family inherited a cranky old poodle from an aunt when she passed, and I hated that little dimwit with a passion. He growled at everyone, peed in front of my bedroom door, and bit my little brother. Left a bad taste in my mouth for dogs. Jon's family has a big chocolate lab who is incredibly friendly, so I am constantly trying to convince myself that not all dogs are like that stupid poodle.

E. Essential start to your day: Sunlight! First thing I do every morning (after I go to the bathoom, of course) is to open the shades in the living room.

F. Favorite color: purple

G. Gold or silver: No real preference. My engagement ring is white gold.

H. Height: 5 feet 2 inches

I. Instruments you play(ed): None, sadly. My mom always promised me that she would teach me how to play the piano because we have an upright that has been in my family for years, but she can't afford to bring someone in to tune it.

J. Job title: Admissions Counselor

K. Kids: I can't wait to have some of my own! I've known I wanted to be a mother since I was 15, but that's a story for another day.

L. Live: In New York, but not the city and not upstate. In the middle. The beautiful Hudson Valley. I would love to live in Florida, but I can't leave my family.

M. Mom’s name: I absolutely love my mom's name. She was named after her grandma, and she also has 2 middle names. It's beautiful when you say the whole thing out loud, but I don't want to put it online.

N. Nicknames: With a short name like Amy, my nicknames are all longer than my real name. Ames, Amer, Amina. At work, they call me Gypsy.

O. Overnight hospital stays: None for me, but I've stayed overnight with my little brother during some of his stays, and he's had plenty.

P. Pet peeves: 2-faced people. Don't be nice to my face and then talk shit behind my back. If you don't like me, don't talk to me! Also, rude drivers who are always rushing to get places and honking their horns. Just have patience!

Q. Quote from a movie: I have 2, and they are both originally from a book, and they are both said by the greatest wizard ever.

"It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends."

"There comes a time when you must choose between what is easy and what is right."

R. Righty or lefty: Righty.

S. Siblings: One older brother and one younger brother. Always wanted a sister.

T. Time you wake up: Varies everyday, depending what time I have to be into the office. I try to sleep in (til 8ish) on weekends, but my body usually wakes me anyway, since it is so used to waking up earlier.

U. Underwear: aerie's boybriefs. Most comfortable!

V. Vegetables you don’t like: cauliflower and carrots.

W. What makes you run late: When the alarm goes off and I go to turn it off, but my bed is just so warm and snuggly that I hit the snooze. Then I am 5 minutes behind schedule and my body is dragging, refusing to wake up, and then I can't find the shirt I want to wear to work, even though I thought I left out the night before, and then I try to put my contacts in but my eyes refuse to open wide enough... It's a domino effect.

X. X-rays you’ve had: That I remember? My right ring finger. It's actually a funny story, remind me to tell you someday!

Y. Yummy food you make: Jon loves my pizza casserole in the crockpot. I've only been cooking for the 2 of us for a few months now, so I am still trying to perfect my style on our favorite dishes.

Z. Zoo animal favorites: Ohmigosh, all of them! Well, except the birds. They are kinda boring. I really like monkeys, bears, penguins, and giraffes.

A Very Merry Christmas Link-up - Food

Sereina Charise started this link-up: A Very Merry Christmas. Week 3's theme is Christmas Foods and Tasty Treats.



My photo doesn't really look like Christmas, but it's tasty, for sure!


This is a photo of Christmas dessert at my house: homemade German chocolate cake and homemade pumpkin pie, both courtesy of my mom! She is an amazing baker (a quality that sadly didn't get passed down to me).

A Very Merry Christmas Link-up - Decorations

Sereina Charise started this link-up: A Very Merry Christmas. Week 1's theme is Decorations.



My parents have this Nativity scene that used to belong to my grandparents. I've always loved it and it was my duty to set it up on the mantle at my parents' house every year.

Now that I am living in a condo with Jon, I (jokingly) mentioned to my parents that I should take the whole scene with me. While my dad seemed a little put-out, my mom agreed. Apparently, it was her plan all along to pass it down to me! I had no idea.

I was overjoyed to set it up on the mantle in the condo.



There's Mary and Joseph, and an angel, as well as a donkey and a cow. There is also a shepherd boy with his lambs and Three Kings Bearing Gifts. Baby Jesus is safely hidden away until Christmas morning.

This Nativity scene has been a tradition in my family, and it makes me excited for the future. I am anxious to have my own children to pass the tradition onto.

Macro Friday #27

This is the first of 3 black and white macro photos that I forgot I edited. They all still have that cloud watermark I had added in photoscape before I got pse back. Please look past the cloud to the little flowerbud underneath.



Little life updates:
-Jon and I spent Thanksgiving at my parents' house yesterday. My mom is such an amazing cook. So amazing that I may never cook my own Thanksgiving dinner.

-I am decorating the condo for Christmas today! Jon is a firm believer that the 2 holidays of Christmas and Thanksgiving must be separate, which mean no Christmas decorations, music or movies until Black Friday. Which means that today is ALL about the decorating!

-I am still getting used to being home, not being at hotels, and I start back in the office full-time on Monday. I hope I can get back to a regular blogging schedule soon.

-Jon and I have a very busy month planned for January: A week in Orlando with his family, then a week in Tennessee, including more time with his family and some time with my friends. I am uber-excited about this trip! More details to follow...


On a slightly related note, since I will be gone for 2 weeks in January, I am looking for some bloggers to do 1 of 2 things: either a guest post, or temporarily host Color Splash Sunday for me. If you are slightly interested, please leave me a comment with your email address, or you can email me at yma 367 at hotmail.com.

Live Every Moment - Thankful

This is my first time linking up with Tara's photo challenge, Live Every Moment.



This week's theme is Thanksgiving, or something you are thankful for.

I am thankful for so many, many things. I can afford to buy food, I have a roof over my head, I have warm clothes. My friends and family are all safe, happy, and healthy. I am getting married next year to an amazing man.

But the thing person I am most thankful for?

My little brother.

If you are a regular reader, you know how much I love this guy. He is the core of my family; we all revolve around him.

I am thankful that my mom, when Matt was born, dismissed the doctor who said my baby brother would die and found one who was more optimistic.

I am thankful to all of the skilled therapists and doctors who have worked with Matt and cared for him for the past 20 years. They have helped him to grow and blossom in ways that we didn't know how. And I am thankful that they have all taught us along the way so that we, too, could work with him and use the techniques that they used to help him develop.

I am so thankful that the school officials have let him stay in high school this long. He is in his last year now, getting ready to graduate in June. He won't actually have a high school diploma (no thanks to the politicians behind NCLB), but I am still thankful that he has had these past 6 years with his friends and his wonderful TA and his incredible teacher.



And more important than anything else, I am so thankful that God has let my little brother stay here on Earth with us. I am always striving to appreciate every little moment with him, every hug and every conversation. No words can describe it; all I can do is drop to my knees with tears in my eyes and just think...

"Thank you."

Color Splash Sunday - Your Choice

<center><a href="http://purple-hippie.blogspot.com/p/color-splash-sunday.html"><img src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y293/prin367cess/colorsplashsunday.jpg"></a></center>
Color splash photos are those that have been converted to black and white, but one object (or several small objects) has (have) been left colored. Sometimes, it's easy to just isolate your colored object and you're done. Other times, more editing is required, such as adjusting color levels/light/shadow/etc.

This week's theme is YOUR CHOICE, which is the standing theme for the first Sunday of every month. You can use any photo you want, as long as you don't post one that you have already posted.

This is a wordless photo! No explanation needed. :)



REFLECTION(S)

RAW(e) - Vintage

This is a vintage music globe that my mom saved from... someone.... An aunt, I think.



RAW(e) is run by Sami.
The only photos allowed are those that are
COMPLETELY UNEDITED.
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I feel like I am always a day late with this! I love answering the questions, but I can never remember to grab the questions during my Sunday post.

1. Do you think mustaches are sexy? Only on Billy Burke.



2. What's the last concert you've been to? Hanson @ Northern Lights in Clifton Park, NY. I've been to 5 of their concerts, and every single one was a rockin' good time.



3 What was your favorite 80's sitcom? Full House. You got it, dude!



4. Were you named after anyone? My middle name is from my mom's aunt, but my first name is just me.

5. When you buy new clothes, do you wash before wearing? Underwear and bathing suits. But shirts and pants are fine, IMO.

6. If you didn't blog, what would you do with your spare time? Photo editing and dolling. Like I did before I started blogging.

7. What is your favorite department store? Kohl's! Their clearance racks are gold mines.

8. If you were to get Laser Hair Removal..where would you get it? Everywhere! I get bad razor burn (due to eczema), so not shaving would be nice.

Color Splash Sunday - A Building

<center><a href="http://purple-hippie.blogspot.com/p/color-splash-sunday.html"><img src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y293/prin367cess/colorsplashsunday.jpg"></a></center>
Color splash photos are those that have been converted to black and white, but one object (or several small objects) has (have) been left colored. Sometimes, it's easy to just isolate your colored object and you're done. Other times, more editing is required, such as adjusting color levels/light/shadow/etc.

This week's theme is a building. I had a big green barn that I was planning on using for this theme, but it didn't look good as a color splash. So I skimmed through this year's photos, trying to find SOMETHING, anything, that would work. Luckily, I had a whole folder full of photos of buildings back from April. My mom and I had gone to celebrate the opening of the local dairy bar, and I had been snapping photos as we drove through town.

One of those photos included one of the local dance studio. My mom had danced there back in the 70's, and I danced there for 14 years. I loved dancing, just as much as I loved cheerleading. I danced with a small group of girls whose moms danced with my mom. And we are all still best friends.



This is such a distracting photo, what with all the cars, the power lines, and the street signs. It's a veritable cloning nightmare. This is the PERFECT photo for selective coloring, because now my eyes are drawn straight to the building. All the other details kinda blur into the background.

Since I lost my pse, I tried experimenting with GIMP for this photo. I know several people who solely use free programs like GIMP and Picasa for photo editing, but apparently I'm a photoshop girl. I was so confused using GIMP, and it took me at least 20 minutes longer than it should have for such a simple edit.

I wonder if I can add pse to my wedding registry....

We are not doing CSS, as I'll be in Orlando, FL!

A mild Monday

Getting to Know You is run by Keely over at MannLand5. Copy the questions below, answer them on your blog, and go to her site to link up!

1. Have you ever snooped around someone else's house?

2. Can guys and girls be friends? ( thanks Jen!)

3. Can you curl your tongue?

4. Have you ever stolen anything?

5. Would you rather talk on the phone or text?

6. Memorial Day plans?

7. What do you do to relax?

8. Do you do anything to honor those that have died fighting for our freedom?


Here are my answers:


1. Have you ever snooped around someone else's house? Yea, I definitely remember doing some snooping when I was younger. There were several kids up and down my street that are around the same age as me (plus/minus 2 years), and we were always running to each other's houses and sitting under windows. We were also climbing in and out of windows, sneaking into neighboring pools, and causing mayhem.

2. Can guys and girls be friends? Yes. I had several guy friends when I was in high school and college. It's easy to be friends with guys. All you have to do is sit there and watch them play video games. Or watch them drink beers around a firepit. Or watch them shoot paintball guns at each other.

3. Can you curl your tongue? Nope. Not at all. I can't roll R's either.

4. Have you ever stolen anything? Lip gloss from a dollar store when I was in 8th grade. Such a rebel!

5. Would you rather talk on the phone or text? Depends who I am talking to. My mom and dad both really slow at texting, so it's much easier to just call.

6. Memorial Day plans? BBQ. Relax. Flea market. Sunbathe.

7. What do you do to relax? Read, play computer games, stare at running water.

8. Do you do anything to honor those that have died fighting for our freedom? Fresh palm crosses at my grandfather's grave. (He was a WWII vet.)

I am FEELIN' the love!

How am I feelin' the love on this blog? Well, first, I had a new record in comments - 18 on one post. It was my yellow post a few days ago, and all the sweet comments have given me more confidence in my photography and editing skills. Second, I gained a new follower - I am now up to 12 (according to my Blogger dashboard). Third, I've had over 6350 page views since I added the counter (2/15/2010). My newest country is Mexico (muchos gracias). And fourth, I've been given 3 more blog awards! All of them totally unexpected, and very much appreciated.

First up is the "I Love Your Blog" award from Cherees over at Our New Life. Cherees is so loyal and so supportive. Many thanks for her because in addition to reading and leaving comments, she has also been taking part in my Color Splash Sunday meme.

The rules for this award involve listing 10 things I love, and then passing this on to 10 bloggers. There is no way I can pass it on to 10 bloggers, but I will pass it on to Gail over at Delightfully Diva-ish, because I really love her blog! And I am going to list 10 people I love, vs things I love, because I already listed 10 things that make me happy.

1. Matty - my younger brother.
2. Mom
3. Dad
4. Dave - my older brother.
5. Jon - my boyfriend.
6. C - my best friend. We went to high school together, and grad school.
7. T - my other best friend.
8. K - our moms grew up together, so we are basically sisters.
9. L - ditto above.
10.Angelique - my twin at heart.

*Yes, I used initials for their names because I don't know how they feel about being on here.*

Next is the "Versatile Blogger" award from Bec over at iheartblog. Bec seems to be like me - full of hobbies and a crazy creative personality.

The rules for the award are:

1. Thank the person who gave you this award.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Pass the award along to 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic! (in no particular order...)

4. Contact the bloggers you've picked and let them know about the award.

Thanks, Bec, for the award! And I love the new graphic you made - so pretty! I don't have 15 other bloggers to pass this on to, but I do have one very versatile blogger I recently found when she commented on my blog. It's Didee from Art Cupboard, and she is fantastic! She does photo editing and digiscrapping, and she has so many resources for textures and actions and kits.

Here are 7 random things about me:

I texted/tweeted during my graduation ceremony last weekend.
I never had perfect attendance in elementary or high school.
I am utterly addicted to computer games.
I can knot a cherry stem in my mouth.
I enjoy reading Shakespeare.
I can't eat crunchy cereal.
I hate to exercise.

And then there is the "Super Comments" award from Neel over at Being Zara & Zidan. I've already developed a super relationship with Neel, because she is the epitome of a supermom and superblogger. She has super cute kids, takes super photos, does super creative edits, and leaves super comments.

The rules for this award are to answer the ten questions, pass the award on to your favorite bloggers, and tell them to answer ten questions. Okay, I have to pass this award on to Cherees over at Our New Life. She leaves super comments; she is so nice.

1) Why do you blog? I needed another hobby, and a way to record my thoughts as I overcome my quarter-life crisis and move on to the next stage of my life.

2) What are the 3 best memories? My first kiss with Jon, walking across the stage to get my Master's degree, and laughing with friends.

3) If you had to change your real name, what would you change it to? When I was a kid, I wanted to change my name to Tiffany Dawn Crystal. Now, I like Amy. :)

4) What are the 5 things you can't live without? I'm not too materialistic, but there are a few. My cell phone, my laptop, my stuffed turtle, sneakers, and chocolate.

5) What are the 4 best books you have ever read? Ooh, tough one. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, the HP series, Memoirs of a Geisha, and the Giver.

6) Tell me something unique & interesting about yourself? I am a very unique person. One interesting thing? I collected teaspoons when I was a kid. My family used to drive to South Carolina every year, and I got one everywhere we stopped.

7) What do you love about yourself? Basically everything!

8) What is the best movie ever made? Avatar.

9) If you had a freaky friday experience, who would you want to trade places with and why? An actress or celebrity, just for one day.

10) what's the best part about being a woman? It never fails to amaze me - women have this innate sense of creativity that is hidden deep within each of us. whether it is writing, blogging, photography, editing, drawing, baking, designing, painting, singing, dancing, or any other talent, we are each a creative genius in our own way. the moment a woman's creativity is recognized and allowed to grow, she shines. -me

i heart faces Challenge - Celebrating Mom

To emphasize Mother's Day yesterday, the theme this week at i♥faces is Celebrating Mom. I am patiently waiting for the time when I will be a mom. Until then, I'll celebrate my own mom.



I took this photo with my mom 2 years ago. (I am a PRO at self-portraits.) Don't I look a lot like her?! Our hair is the same, although mine is lighter. Our noses are the same. Our smiles are the same.

I am, in and of myself, a celebration of my mom.

Color Splash Sunday - Colorful Food

First, I have to give a warm, virtual hug to all my blogger friends who are moms. Today's is Mother's Day (In America), so I wanted to just say that you all, you moms, are really superheros. I'm thinking of one of my best friends, who can't be with her mom today, and I'm thinking of the mom in NYC who "threw away" her 2-month-old, and I'm thinking of all the women in this world (especially my cousin) who can't have babies. And it makes me really grateful that I live with my mom, even though she is overbearing at times and fills up my desk with newspaper help wanted ads. Because, despite that, she did raise me to value family over anything else. That's all I need, family. And someday soon, I'll raise my unborn babies the same way.







This week's theme is COLORFUL FOOD. I thought of this about 3 weeks ago, around Earth Day. I had been visiting various blogs through UBP'10, and found one sporting a great sugar cookie idea. She had used food dye to make blue and green swirled cookies to look like little Planet Earth's! I thought it was so cute and immediately I wanted to try it out.

Alas, I just didn't have time to do any baking, until this weekend. It was my first weekend with no work and no homework (no more grad class!). I made a delightful mess and some delicious pink and purple swirled sugar cookies.



30 minutes later, there were only 4 left from the 3 dozen I made. Cookies go fast in this house.

Linky is up, it lasts until Wednesday night. No rush to link up! Please read this to ensure that your photo fits the theme.

YouCapture - A Moment... or two.

This week's theme for YouCapture is "A Moment."

I took this first photo last week; it's a photo of a photo. I had actually started with the letters for FRIENDS on my magnetic whiteboard because I was getting it together to do a Making Words lesson with my student at tutoring*. I always love how the letters look so bright on the whiteboard. This time, as I was looking at the letters, I got randomly inspired. So, I grabbed one of my favorite photos of FRIENDS from my college graduation party and used the letters to hold it up on the board. It really portrays a moment of happiness, a moment I will never forget and always cherish.


My second moment is an old photo from last September. It's a moment of love and affection between a mother and her youngest son. Even though he is grown up (and taller than her), he will always be her baby. And yes, that's my mom, because that's quite obviously my little brother, Matt, the one I always feature in photos.



*Making Words lessons/activities are one of my favorite technique for early/emergent readers. It benefits a student in so many ways: phonemic awareness, agency, tactile-kinesthetic learning, correct spelling, problem solving, pattern recognition, etc. And it's fun, too! Children love being able to manipulate the letters and move them around to play with sounds and create words. I've got several printed articles on it, but I don't have a link, or I would share the wealth. Maybe I'll write up a post on it one day....