It's June Already!

I'm having a hard time believing it is June already! For one thing, our weather has been less than stellar so far this summer. It was nice and warm in April and then May left a lot to be desired. We've had lots of gloomy days since then. On Tuesday, I had my first day off in weeks that was actually beautiful and warm all day. A couple weeks back, it wasn't sunny, but the temperature was nice. This week was warm and sunny with blue skies all day. I watched the Venus transit from my yard with a lawn chair and enjoyed every minute :)

Tuesday morning, I went out on the Spit to explore the shops that were not open a couple of weeks ago. There are some wonderful items that I would love to purchase out there (that I don't need :P) but I went with a mission in mind of getting a sweatshirt and I found one that I adore. I'll post a photo of it soon.

C had a cold over Memorial weekend and I was praying that I wouldn't receive the gift, but I did. *sigh* So I battled it for a week, and I am finally feeling better, but by Tuesday evening, I felt terrible. It put a kink into some socializing plans [:(] but I'm glad that I postponed them, especially because it poured rain on Wednesday!

I had a productive weekend though, getting ready for our upcoming trip and cleaning the house like crazy, which is so satisfying :) More details on the trip to come...

Day 14

Day 14 of the sugar fast. I haven't given in yet, but I sure am craving sugar! It feels like I am eternally hungry, since I am wanting something sweet. I'm dreaming of brownies and chocolate in the end of August!

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Two posts ago, I whined about not getting to shoot the sunset. I was able to shortly after that! The sunset looked promising, but I never got that far, because a rainbow appeared. The sunset fizzled out before it became amazing, so I was able to focus (ha) my attention on the rainbow and its reflection on a lake.

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I was able to buy plane tickets for our trips in the coming months. Very excited to be getting out of town. Not excited to be leaving during fall time, but that is a price I pay, I suppose.

I need to purchase a laptop before too long so I can complete my school work while I am away from home. I have been looking at several, and while I don't need anything special, I do want a bit of processing speed so I can potentially edit photos on the road. Main reason for this purchase would be for school, but the other would be for a photo dump. Now that I shoot RAW, my photo file sizes are incredible, and I fill up memory cards like crazy.

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I am continually saving up money for camera stuff, and I am running into the chicken and the egg problem. My camera is slowly dying. Canon Rebel's don't last long, and I have run it hard in the past year and a half that I have had it. It's most definitely still usable and in working condition, but I am afraid it will not be much longer. I have set my sights on a much more expensive camera, but it will take me years to save up for it. In addition to this problem, the full frame camera will not work with my wide angle lens. Buying better lenses is a great investment, so I have been saving up for those first and foremost. Maybe the solution is to buy a step up in the camera department after this one bites the dust instead of going straight for the pro level one. Not sure.

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In other news, summer is sort of winding down. The fireweed is in full bloom, less tourists are coming through and the days are getting shorter. I start school in a month.
Many people have been complaining about how rainy and miserable this summer is. I admit that it has been quite rainy, but I really have not noticed it much. I work inside all week, so I don't get much chance to enjoy it, and I don't let the weather faze me when I am out shooting, so I suppose I have been a bit oblivious to it. I do wish it would be warm a bit more, since summer is almost gone.

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C and I have a weird work week. Our weekend occurs on Tuesday and Wednesday, and not Saturday and Sunday. It makes it obnoxious to go to church and Saturday events, but we get time off during the week when weekday businesses are open. It also makes lunch dates less stressful as there are less people milling around.

Yesterday, C had to work  and he has to do so on next Tuesday as well. It's all overtime pay, which will be nice, but we'd rather he have the day off instead!

Going into the day, I was a bit confused as to what I was supposed to be doing. Working full time makes me forget that I get to stay at home all winter long. I did the dishes, then went to lunch with a friend, and did the grocery shopping. Then I came home. I ended up finishing up a book I had been reading at work all week on my lunch breaks. Then went out to shoot some flower photos in the yard. Next week I will probably watch a movie.

It's just not the same without him at home!

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Photo by the other photographer at the wedding we shot of our friends' last month. I am really happy with this image!

We went on a hike last weekend and I was taking waterfall shots. Unfortunately, a slow shutter speed does not work well for self portraits!

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I love summertime, because that means that my summer is free for reading novels, instead of textbooks! Here are some I have completed so far:

• Crazy Love by Francis Chan: I had heard piles about this book, and finally picked it up. I ended up skimming through it again after I was finished with it, because it was so thought provoking. Great book for shaking up the mundane Christian life.
• Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater: The newest teenage obsession. An interesting read. The second book just came out, but I have not picked it up yet (saving my money, as stated earlier!)
• The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger: I found this book at the thrift store after having it on my wish list. I have not seen the movie yet. It was an interesting story, but I was depressed after finishing it. I might rent the movie next Tuesday to watch by myself.
• The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker: Ted is my favorite author, hands down, but his recent "supernatural thrillers" are not my cup of tea. This will probably be the last one I read for a while. Seems like he has been beating the same drum for several books now, and I am not interested in the creepiness of it.
• Never Let You Go by Erin Healy: Debut novel from an author who collaborated on two of Ted Dekker's books, that I enjoyed. This was also a "supernatural thriller" like Ted's, but it was not as dark. Good message at the end. I definitely could see Ted's influence in her writing.
  
• The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood b Rebecca Wells: I really don't know anything about this book, but I have seen many copies of it at the thrift store and decided I could spend 50 cents on it. I started it this morning, and so far I am ambivalent on continuing.
  
• In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honore: I heard the praises sung on this nonfiction book, so it is on my to read list next.

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This is probably the longest post I have written in a long while!

Swimsuits, Ugh

A pet peeve of mine: finding a swimsuit.

It is impossible to find a modest swimsuit in junior's size.

The last swimsuit I bought, I was in early high school, and it was a small women's suit. I need a new one! I have a tankini, so I do have something, and I do have a couple bikinis, but I want something that I am not uncomfortable wearing.

Basically, all that is available for teenagers are bikinis, monokinis (with those hideous cutouts on the sides) or halter top one pieces. I just want a swimsuit like this in a junior's size with a cute design! And hopefully under $100!!

Apparently it's too much to ask, because I have not found anything like this, and when I have, it is completely out of my price range for the amount of time I will be wearing it. Any ideas?

Walmart!

Many people do not find Walmart to be that special. The products all seem to come from China, the employees are not treated fairly, and other common complaints all taint the image of the company. Many have a Walmart near their house or even two and regularly make trips there.

Growing up, I loved Walmart. It was the place I could buy journals and picture frames inexpensively, and even buy $5 DVDs. When I went on vacation to the Lower 48, my family would always go to Walmart as the prices were better and there was a different selection. Hours were spent in different Walmarts in different states. As I prepared to get married, and after my wedding, it was the place to go to get cheap pancake flippers and other items we did not receive as wedding gifts. As I stocked up my kitchen, Walmart became the place to go to stock up on cereal and canned food. Everything sold in Alaska is incredibly expensive. Our cost of living is quite high, and the cost savings at Walmart are just too good to pass up for a lot of items.

Unfortunately, up until this past month, I was lucky if I made it to Walmart twice a year. Supposedly, my humble town was known as the farthest on the road system away from a Walmart, at over 200 miles away. In the past two years, whenever I darkened the doors of Walmart, I would often leave with an over flowing cart and a bill over $300...full of Kleenex and mayonnaise, among other items. The store clerks often looked at me funny, but when I explained my home location, they knowingly nodded.

In the past two years, the rumors have abounded, but they came true: a Walmart opened up at the end of March, 75 miles away from home.

It was highly amusing to watch Facebook as the weeks went by. Friends and family members went to see the famed building and were in awe and ecstatic to be able to get what they needed in a 2 hour drive instead of 5.

Mom and I finally made the trip last week. The new super Walmart was incredibly large. Bigger than the big city's one, I believe. We wandered the aisles, storing information away on prices and availability of items not available farther down the road. Most prices were not as good as they are in the Lower 48, but a lot were still cheaper than in small town Alaska.

I did spend a bit of money, but it was satisfying to know that I can get to Walmart more than twice a year now!

Planning

In the near future, C and I will be celebrating our 2nd anniversary with a four day trip to the big city. Two nice hotels, with one much nicer than the other. I am really excited to be going.

When we make a trip to the big city...which is typically twice a year, we (or rather I) go crazy in Walmart. Many people hate Walmart, I know, but I can't get those prices here. Not even close on many items. I have slowly been working on a list of everything we need and this morning I perfected it. I cleaned out the bathroom cabinet to find what we really need and don't. It felt great!

I will be buying canned soups, toiletries, and cereal, and a whole bunch more that is less expensive in Walmart. We are getting a Walmart about 80 miles from here that opens in 2 days! I'm pretty excited, as it will cut down on the big city grocery trips. However, it might not be as great as I am hoping for if the prices are not as good. We will have to see.

The biggest purchase we are hoping to make is a musical keyboard for C. He grew up with a piano and is a very gifted pianist. His dad lent us a keyboard for the first year or so, but it was a hassle, since he needed it back every few weeks. C has been itching to play for a while now, so I hope we can get a good deal for him :)

The museum is having a Star Wars exhibit at this time and I am really wanting to go. It's expensive, and C doesn't like Star Wars, but we might get some friends to go with us also to make it more fun. I'd also like to see Avatar in 3-D. It's still there right now, so hopefully it will be for us! Small town theaters don't have 3-D screens :(

I will let you know how it goes once we're back :)

Recent Purchases

I just went to Salvation Army and picked up a book I've had on my Amazon wishlist for over a year for just 50 cents. Can't beat that!

We purchased a Flip digital video camcorder this week. C is excited to try it out at youth group when it comes. He's been working on the YG website and would like to enhance it with some videos.

We also bought the Kitchenaid mixer I've had my eye on all summer this week! Finally had enough money saved up that was specifically for it. Maybe I'll bake more now!

Ipod!

I just purchased my Ipod Touch! I have been saving since May for it. I am excited to get it and play with it. I have been having doubts that it will be something I play with every so often and then leave alone, but I really think I will make it useful for me.

I constantly write notes to myself at work on scraps of paper and a notebook I keep in my apron. This would be perfect to keep all my notes organized. It will also be handy to have when I have Wifi access and want to look something up.

I'm excited for it to come!

Clothing Wishlist

I am in a conundrum about clothing. I never have been one obsessed with clothing, but everytime I enter a store, (retail or thrift) I simply must look at the clothing. Often, I will find something that I think I need and buy it. That has changed over the past year, as C has told me repeatedly that I don't need anymore shirts. Which is true. I don't have enough space for clothes as it is. I share my closet rod with C.

I have gotten rid of a lot of shirts and other miscellaneous items so that there is not much left (relatively, anyway) I've known for a while now that I will eventually need to invest in a bit more of a nicer wardrobe at some point once I graduate from college with an accounting degree. But that won't happen for a while.

I do the majority of my looking for clothes online. There is no mall here. To get decent clothes, I have to drive an hour and a half up the road.

Yesterday, I attended a wedding, and was in a tizzy trying to decide what to wear. I finally decided on something, but it was kind of depressing realizing that I don't have many dressy clothes anymore that go together well. I have been so good in the past few months in not looking at clothes online, knowing that I don't need anymore.

Of course, I came home last night and immediately started scouring Oldnavy.com and Kohls.com. I found a few things that I like, but nothing really really made me 100% sure I needed it.

- A white tanktop/camisole. I have several Old Navy tanktops, but none that look nice under a V neck shirt. I want something that has a higher neckline, which is pretty hard to find, especially when I can't try them on. I like this one, that one and this one too.

- I am also looking for a dress that I can wear to less formal things. Again, a higher neckline, but also cute. Sleeves would be nice, but most of the dresses I've seen look awful when they have sleeves. I like these ones the best.

Those are the only two things that really come to mind right now. Oh, and a bolero or jacket type thing. Then, I could wear more of the spaghetti strap dresses I have without feeling awkward about it.

Anyone have a go to site they love for clothing? I need to poke around my bookmarks again and see what I have in there. But I'd love some suggestions!

Trip to the Bigger City

Monday morning dawned, ready to snow. My friend and I left at 9, and set off for the next big town. The roads ended up being pretty bad. It was snowing hard and there was ice on the road, but we made it fine...althought the 1.5 hour drive turned into 2 by driving slower.

Off we went to Fred Meyer's, me filling up a cart as we went. It was an expensive trip, but full of essentials that we needed. Nothing too exciting was purchased, except these goodies!

Off brand kleenex boxes in the cutest patterns I have ever seen: kitties, doggies and a star! Picture frames were buy 2, get 1 free. Not the greatest deal, but they were good prices from the start. I got 6 frames, and then 1 5 picture frame. And lastly, a soft hoodie that was marked down for $45 to $15.

We also went to McDonalds for lunch (my friend is on a limited budget right now) and then Gottschalks (where I purchased that hoodie.) 3 hours after we got there, we turned around and came home. This time, the trip was an hour and 45 minutes. All of the snow had melted and turned to slush, with giant puddles, which was actually bit more concerning at times, but we were fine. We got stuck behind several slow people, which slowed us down a bit, but no big deal.

Came home and unpacked. At 6, went to pick up C from work. His car had been moved, for the first time in a week! Picked C up, and he knew nothing about it. When we got home, my brother was waiting for us. The car is fixed, but it cost a pretty penny to get it done.

After running ragged after that, we made it to small group, where we have another new couple coming. Had another great session of "Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage," if a bit awkward, as this one was on the most awkward topic imaginable! (guess, I dare you :))

But it was good, and the conversations afterward were very good as well.

Today, C and I did not do much. My sister ordered Collapse for the DS for C's birthday and it came today (Thanks D!) and it is actually really fun and not just the game only. It has different settings and ways of playing and even a "quest" game to make it through. Much better than I was expecting, so that's great.

Otherwise, it's been pretty low key, but I needed a low key day.

Shopping Tomorrow

Today was a good day. Had a good lunch with my parents, got my usual Cajun Chicken Salad at my favorite restaurant. Bought Easter (!!) chocolate eggs at the drugstore. They just put them out this morning. Bought 6 things at the grocery store for the week...wow. And now I'm home. I'm going to the next big town tomorrow with my red headed friend. She is not much of a shopper by any means, so it will be interesting. We're leaving at 9am. I told her we had to be back before 6 to pick C up from work. "How long is this trip going to be??!" You just never know! No, I really only have 3 stops in mind. But a huge list. I put off buying groceries today because I will get the nonperishable stuff cheaper there. Here's a fraction of my list...
- Kleenex
- 2 cookie sheets - we pretty much ruined one on accident. We need more than 1.
- a bottle opener (see previous post!)
- CDRs
- Laundry detergent
- Pancake syrup

So it will be such a fun trip!! I will be spending a lot of money, but it is all stuff that we need. Hopefully I come home with lots of exciting details!

My new purse!

Brrr! It's been so cold outside today! The weather thing on my computer says it's 29 degrees, but the wind chill is making it 18. It's very windy, yet sunny, but it's just cold. The only consolation I can find is that at least it's not blowing snow around, and we aren't buried under it yet!


So yesterday, my parents took me to Soldotna to go shopping. At the top of my list was a new purse...tada!
It's a lot more spacious than my last one, which was starting to get ratty. It's going to take some getting used to, but I really like it.

I also picked up some nice baskets to use for organizing our closet. They were on sale for a really good price. That's pretty much all that I picked up that is really worth talking about. Got 2 more photo albums for my photos that I print off. (Whenever I take pictures that I really like of scenery or whatever, I print them off and put them in albums so that I have them. I didn't buy any clothes, which I am proud of.
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I got a ton of homework done at work today. It gets so slow that in the winter, my boss lets me do homework, especially when everything that can be cleaned is sparkling. Today I got all of my accounting homework done and read the chapter for next week, and finished half of that weeks homework as well. I'm at the point of being willing to work more, since I get so much more homework done at work than at home!

Oh and the unanimous vote among my blogs was that everyone would prefer too much cookie over too much milk. Just thought I'd make you aware of the results!

Christmas Shopping in September

My consecutive days off are going well. Sunday I went to my small group leaders' house for a youth group kick off event. Tracy made taco soup (which I have never had before) and it was amazing :P So it was fun. Then I had to go home and do homework which was not nearly as fun.

Yesterday, I left the house for over 3 hours. I went and browsed/shopped in town. I'm getting a head start on my Christmas gifts while I still have some money. I got one present for my father in law and got something for Caleb. I also redeemed the rest of my work bonus and got some more presents that way. So that was good. I also got 2 shirts at Salvation Army. I've been looking for sweaters/long sleeved shirts lately and found a nice periwinkle one that will work just fine.
Next, I went to SBS to hang out with Caleb on his lunch break. I originally planned to take him to lunch, but I showed up too late because he took lunch early, and he was done eating already.

We started our small group on Monday starting yesterday. It's very strange, but it will work I suppose.

Today we slept in. I did homework, and now Caleb's brother Drew is over and they are playing games. I've done a lot of homework and have discovered that there is not that much to do this week. Thus, I am taking a break yet again and blogging!

Tomorrow we are going to youth group. I haven't been in 2 years. It's been at least a year, if not 1.5 since Caleb has been. We'll see how it goes.

I'm enjoying having time off, so it will be hard to go back on Friday!