And this week, Flashback Friday comes on Thursday... Now, if I was really going about this in the correct manner, I would have a cute little picture of past Halloween days when I was a mouse or a bear, or a mouse or a bear, or a... well, that's all I really ever was for Halloween. Except for the year I was a pumpkin. I was a cute pumpkin. Anyway... I don't have any of those pics available at the moment, so this is the next best I came up with, in honor of Trick-or-Treating day.

Welcome to Disney Spectacular. 1993. I was 10. Our school put on a musical production with Disney songs, costumes, etc. There were the coveted Mousekateer roles (that only the popular people got) and then the rest of us had to stand on the high rise bleachers, belting out Chim Chimminy while trying to stand still and avoid falling through the bleachers... or knocking over our neighbor, Cinderella. But it was at this event that I took on my first (of few) public speaking roles (see first picture). Three of us stepped to the front of the stage to open up the show. In fact, I can still remember my lines... "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages: Welcome to the wonderful world of Disney! A magical place, where elephants fly, chimney sweeps dance, and all your dreams come true!" That was it. But it was epic. Mostly due to the fact that I was dressed as a Dalmation. It's always good to keep XXXL white shirts lying around for such times as this...




And so, happy Halloween to all of you who actually participate in the holiday...

I'm feeling the pre- race season anxiety attacks today; that ominous time of the year in which the base miles have been built, and it's time to put 'em to the test. Marathon training is about to be in full swing, but first up is Mercy Project's 2nd Annual 'Run 4 Their Lives' Relay! Our 2 teams, Abraham and Chakobi, will be leaving from Lake Ray Hubbard at 10 pm tomorrow (Thursday) night, aiming to arrive at Lake Conroe before noon on Saturday. So pumped! We have had a few logistical 'hurdles' leading up to the start of the relay, but everyone is excited and ready to take on the challenge. Our combined fundraising goal is well underway, and we are thrilled about another event to help our sweet friends out on Lake Volta. Did I mention the excitement level here?!

This child will be on my mind all weekend. One day, he too, will know rescue.


Check out the Mercy Project FB page for updates along the way and then back here next week for a recap of the weekend.

I've never purchased anything on Steep & Cheap. Honestly, I've never spent more than about 5 minutes total on their website. I have this thing against making any clothing/gear purchase online without being able to try it on/out first. However, I somehow got signed up for their 'daily dose' emails where they alert you to the bargains of the day. And let me tell ya, I secretly get sorta excited about reading these each morning. Whoever sends the email blasts out always includes a short little story or dialogue along with the deals, and they are phenomenal. Mostly mindless and random, yet quite amusing. Here is one from last week, as well as today's dose:

"I heard that one of my friends ate a handful of mushrooms he found in the backyard. Nothing happened to him. By that I mean that he did not die instantly. A little internet research tells me that out of the thousands of mushroom varieties, a handful are poisonous and found in North America. Of those, most won't kill you right away, but they could shut down your kidneys and kill you a week later. It's hardly surprising that of all the wild food, mushrooms have the greatest chance of being lethal. They grow in dank, shady spots and their odd curvy, yet angular, shapes look out of place in the natural world. I always wondered what kind of person in the course of history would pluck one off the ground and bite into it, and now I know it's the same kind of person as my friend Rob."

"For every one good pear you get, you have to eat about 10 bad ones. No other food is so consistently inconsistent. The bananas you find in the grocery store all taste pretty much the same. You'll get an occasionally mushy peach, but you should know better than to buy those out of season. The problem with pears is that sometimes the best ones look the most abused, and sometimes the best looking ones turn out to be as hard as a cinder block once you bite into them. You think I'd give up and stop buying pears, move onto a new pulpy fruit that has a gritty texture, but that one rare pear that gives you a hit of perfection keeps me coming back. It's like a really low stakes game of Russian roulette."

Welcome to another week!

In order to make up for pushing back this post, I'd like to present two photos today for your viewing pleasure. These pics are from a little fishing trip we took in 1993 with my great-grandparents. Now I have to say, I don't really like to fish. There's something incredibly monotonous about sitting still and waiting for hours at a time that drives me flat crazy. However, this trip actually proved to be quite enjoyable. DM and I spent all day catching perch after perch (I think we counted way over 100) to use for bait on a trotline out in the lake. This first picture is us boasting part of our catch. I love the fact that I seem to think I'm the one holding the basket up (using both hands), when in reality, DM is hefting the weight. Guess I just wanted to hold the rope and pretend to help. Judging from the look on his face, DM is well aware of this nonsense.

And here we are with Granny and Papa. The trotline yielded two beautiful catfish, 5 and 7 lbs, for all our hard work the day before. Yes, you may laugh at my attire: Kool Aid man tee, windpants pulled up to my neck, and purple socks. I would, however, like to equally point out the Oakland Athletic shorts and stellar 'matching' shoelaces next to me. And Granny and Papa? Well, they always were just classy.


Now you may be wondering, 'Where are these children's parents? Obviously no one combed that girl's hair or made her take those shocking red glasses off for the pictures.' Well, as I recall, there was something about a water moccasin lurking in the area of the fishing dock...

"I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them." Isa. 42:16

Flashback Friday will actually be Flashback Saturday this week. Check back tomorrow. :)

In Dallas news...

*Saw Eat Pray Love at the dollar show on Saturday. Good because the cast was superb, but it doesn't hold a candle to the book.

*Beginning Week 2 of marathon training. The weather could not be more perfect here right now. Highs in the low 80's, lows in the mid 50's. Loving it.

*10 days until Run 4 Their Lives, yikes! Ran some 'trial runs' this weekend and felt pretty good at first. Then I got tired. :)

*Got a haircut. Can't say that it's significantly different, but then, what does 'different' even mean with my hair?!

*Lots going on this week: working quite a bit from home as well as on-site. Looking at puppies with Amber. Hanging out with my sweet friend Micah on Wednesday while her parents pack their house. Game night on Thursday at Kathleen's. And a million other things that will inevitably pop up.

*Here are a few pics of the room update. We decided to resign our lease here, and I certainly needed a change. Nothing drastic, but I cleared a lot of things out due to a desire to simplify, sold some furniture, and created a work area. It's been wonderful, minus the whole 'work out of your bedroom' bit. But let me tell ya, the commute is great. 29 steps to the coffee pot.

Some 'in progress' shots...





And the 'after'...
Awesome pillows boasting the fine sewing skills of my sweet Mom...


Closet/office and a coat of green paint...



Dry erase schedule board. Right up my alley...


A few items from 'back in the day'. Every good creative space includes a few toys...



Work area: drafting table = win...



All I lack is getting the big frames above my bed updated, but this one sits in the middle of them all...


And this is my favorite part (insert another plug for this book here)...



*Also, I should mention that the Nickson family has discovered Skype. Watch out world...