Peace=Happiness!

It has been almost 72 hours since my departure from facebook, and honestly, I haven’t missed it one bit. Maybe it’s lack of sleep, or possibly it’s that warm feeling, knowing that I now have some undivided time to devote to some studies I have been wanting to do. Whatever the reason, I am happy about my decision.

“So, what’s up now?”. Good question, glad you asked. If I can manage to actually get some sleep and begin to function right again, then I’ll be on to step 2. Organize and schedule my life! One can get a lot accomplished when they have a bit of structure in their life, and I plan to be one of those “Accomplished” people. If I can get myself to cooperate with my plans that is! I need to be going to bed early (which I strongly dislike), getting up early (which I even more detest), and eating a good breakfast to jump start my day ( Tosha simply does NOT hardly EVER eat breakfast). On that note I begin my battle, to conquer and tame the savage in me.

I have many plans mapped out on a to do list right now, and even more swirling around in my head. Aside from searching for a job, and directing our Wednesday night girls bible study, I hope to also find time to: get back into playing classical piano, study medicinal herbs, learn HTML coding, and map out a healthy eating regiment just for me. Those are my short term goals! I shall not even go in to all my longer term goals, at least not until I have a job, car, some money and time to back them.

To all those who personally know me, it may sound like I am going and locking myself away, but I assure you, this is not the case. Weirdly enough, at this time in my life, I’m beginning to appreciate the peace and quite of solitude more than ever before. It’s like I have finally begun to give myself some room to breathe and think for myself instead of being all wrapped up in everyone else’s business or drama. I must admit, it’s rather relaxing! I feel a strong peace about things, like I’m going in the right direction, one step at a time. That being said, prayers are still always appreciated.

Tomorrow is the art fair at Pyramid Hill, and I am impatiently looking forward to that. I love the peaceful serenity that you find there, up in wooded hillside, surrounded by abstract sculptures. Perfect bliss! Then come Monday, it’s time for a makeover!!! I have an idea what I am going to have done with my hair, but I shall leave you all in suspense until I am absolutely positive, and have pictures to show off! Other than that, my week is looking rather normal at the moment. On that note, I shall sign off, go wash dishes, and get to bed at a reasonable time. Looking forward to being in God’s house tomorrow morning!

New Shoot!

Here is the latest from my little photography corner! My sister and I are both working ourselves into doing professional photography, but first to learn how to properly use the camera.  Here is what we came up with today

Don’t forget to check out my giveaway, only 2 days left to sign up!!  http://totallybelle.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/blog-giveaway-1-celebrating-my-completion-of-the-hunger-games-trilogy/

Ohhh my Bro!

I have the most amazing little brother in the whole entire world!!  You may have seen his picture pop up in my previous posts before, but I have yet to really share just how wonderful he is.  Not only is he funny and cute, but he is also very sweet.  The older he gets, the more helpful/sweet he becomes.  Talk about the lil charmer in training.

I have always thought that having an older brother would have been the coolest thing in the whole world. Someone to rough house around, play football, go fishing, shove me off the pier, teach me to drive, fight off all the guys, my best friend, and knight in shining armor.  Just the idea of being a little sister to a brother, and being his “Little girl”, well it has always been a dream (I guess that’s what you would call it) of mine.  Of course being the oldest child, the only way that would have been able to work is through adoption, but this never held me back from dreaming.  However, over the past year or so, my mind has started to change.  I love having a younger brother!  When he was younger, I had a hard time getting past the fact that he was a bit of an annoyance at times, constantly busting into my room without knocking, or digging in my stuff as his curiosity got the better of him.  As with all things in life though, crazy little boys, grow up to be big boys, then young men and eventually, if raised right, God fearing, Hard working men.  Praise the lord Sam is still yet just in the big boy phase and I don’t have to worry about running off any young girl yet.  I am preparing myself though and a little girl in our church is making sure to keep me watching with eyes wide open!  The little 4 year old that goes to our church has some plans in the young mind of hers, and is counting down days till Sam can have a wife

I of course totally do not approve of Sam ever growing up and leaving (ever) at this point… then who will give me free back massages?!  Yesterday, I went out and did a bunch of mulching with my Dad, and I only work shoveling one way, then dump the wheel barrow in the exact same direction, causing some stress to muscles that have not been used that much in quite a while.  So tonight Sam offered to give me a back massage, and actually kept it going for a good solid 20 minutes or so.  Now I wonder, would an older brother have done the same?   Would I even have wanted an older brother to walk on my back, then sit there karate chopping it? I am not quite so sure that I would have been up for that, even if he was still around to do so. So I come to the conclusion that God works in mysterious ways, and I am never letting Sam leave. God provided me with a massage therapist and I plan on keeping him! :p I’ll remind him that since I helped take care of him as a baby… he can now help take care of me in my ripe old age of almost 19

From Me to ME!!!

I am a huge country music fan!!  I do not listen to just anything country though, I lean more towards the sweet, romantic love song side of country music.  Jason Aldean has to be one of my favorite country artist ever, but Brantley Gilbert and Hunter Hayes are tied for a really close second.  So as the story goes, I went into the store for half priced chocolate this evening and walked out with this… a very merry belated Valentines gift from me to me

Who is your favorite country artist?

Valentines day!

My Valentines day was a hit!  No, I did not have a date to go to the movies, receive chocolates and flowers or any of that jazz.  Matter of fact, It was just like any other day.  Valentines day was originally a day to show those you love, just how much you care.  Somewhere along the lines of time, It has become a materialist holiday, cheapening the whole idea of love down to a box of chocolate and roses.  My parents have never really celebrated Valentines day with all the materialist views, and I have come to love this about my family.  When you cheapen love down to money spent and stop looking at love as spending time together, that’s when relationships are in the danger zone.  There are times in life when one may not have the funds to spend money on non necessities, but they can find time to spend with their special someone.  I am just curious as to when romance became wrapped in tin foil!  What happened to the handwritten notes, instead of hallmark cards?!  The wild flowers instead of hot house roses?!  Yes, I know everyone has their own personal preferences and nothing is wrong with hallmark cards or hot house roses, but when whether or not someone loves you is based on whether or not they bought you something, then you have lost touch with what love is.

love

noun

1.a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.

 2.a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.

From what I have been taught, none of the above definitions are materialist.  They are all a more “Spiritual” sense.  A feeling, emotion, spiritual connection, ect.  Not something you can buy, but something you can give.

“You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” ~Kahlil Gibran

So spend some time with the ones you love, show them you care by giving of yourself.  Let everyday be a holiday filled with Love for those around you, and just maybe, you can help make the world a better place.

My day was pretty ordinary, but I got to spend time with:  my brother, making all sorts of crazy memories, with just a camera and a half an hour of time  (I am not going to regret this either, because these pictures will be great come time for him to graduate  my Dad and some of my church family, working at the tract league (we were able to be part of reaching out to a lost and dyeing world.)  And then to top it all off, I got to give myself a nap, from me to me this afternoon.  My sleeping schedule has been off so bad, that I really needed that extra sleep just to be able to function.  So all in all, my ordinary day was quite a hit for me!!   Love is all you need!! <3

Procrastination? Psh… I’ll think about that tomorrow!

Over the past week, I have went clothes shopping 3 times!! I am such a girl  First on Monday, Mother and I took a trip to our local thrift store.  Every Monday they have a 25% off sale, and since it would be 2 weeks yet till the next half off sale, we decided to go and take a look around for some clothes/props for a new photo shoot.  I ended up spending around $3o. and came home with 2 smaller bags of clothes.  Friday, Dad and I went to JCP to find him a jacket that matches his work outfit, and I walked out with 3 shirts.  Saturday, I went to JCP again and I walked out once more with 3 shirts.  This morning after Church service, I opened up my armiore where I store all my clothes and a huge pile tumbled straight to the floor.  This would be a minor problem if every drawer was not already stuffed to max capacity.  So I neatly folded them all and stuffed the stack back into the top of my armiore just to realize I had folded the very shirt I had just dug out to wear.  To my horror, it was on the bottom of the stack, so I just chose another shirt and closed the door.  I thought about taking the time to hang up the skirts and sweaters and sorting through what was already put away, possibly getting rid of the clothes I have worn out or outgrown.  However my lazy side won and I took a nap instead.  Yes, the nap was helpful and needed, but still point is, I laid down till the urge passed!

I work best to music, So I am thinking about making a motivational soundtrack to work too! The top 5 songs I would include would be…

1. Anyways – Martina Mcbride
2. If today was your last day – Nickleback
3. Stand – Rascal Flatts
4. By your side – Tenth avenue north
5. Breakaway – Kelly Clarkson

 

What are some of your favorite motivational songs?!  Have any good ones that you care to share?!  Post them for me below!!  Maybe someday I’ll add them to a Cd!

p.s. Don’t forget to sign up for my “Giveaway”!!! It goes through the first day of March and you don’t want to miss it!          http://totallybelle.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/blog-giveaway-1-celebrating-my-completion-of-the-hunger-games-trilogy/

Romantic plans? Ha

A boy and a girl fell in…

Yes, I am a romantic at heart!  Valentines day is right around the corner and though I am happily single, I can’t help but get a little giddy over the whole idea.  What can I say?  I am a dreamer, full of fairy tale dreams and hopes for my life.

*Dreamy sigh*

However, right now my goals and hopes are of a less romantic nature.  Weird, right?  I am desperately trying to figure out and make a plan for setting up my photography business and blog.  This takes time and lots of thought, as I do not want to just jump in headfirst, start making changes just to turn around and undo them, all because I failed to have a end goal in mind.  I think I finally have what I am working towards though. I have set color schemes, chosen a font I would like to work with and have a photography name for myself.  It will take time and lots of work, but I hope that you all shall stick with me as I work on my project!  If the end results turn out anything like the mental image I have in my head, that would be Stupendous!

Make sure to check out the previous post for details to my first  Blog Giveaway!!

Oh my baby! :)

Anyone who knows me at all, knows that I love to be around little kids.  They are so full of imagination, filled with curiosity and so super cute, that I don’t see how anyone could not just be head over heels in love with them.  Yes, I will admit, sometimes those cute little stinkers can be a bit of a handful, but in the long run, they add so much more to your life, that all those little trying moments are totally worth it.  After saying all that, little kids are awesome and I love them to pieces, but in my humble opinion, babies top all!   They snuggle close to you, with their head on your heart and just sleep listening to your heartbeat.  One hand may be curled tightly around your finger, (or hair) to make sure you don’t abandon them while they sleep.  They are very dependent on people (mostly the mother) and want to feel secure.  I’m sure even as adults, you can relate.  Everyone wants to feel secure and know someone is there that loves them.  Everyone wants to be able to count on others.  Who, in their right mind wouldn’t?

Anyways, that is just a tidbit of my thoughts on the subject matter of “Babies”.  I could go on and on for hours, if given the time and the energy to do so. However, once more that is beside the point.  Friday, January 3rd was Baby Day for me, which worked out perfect as it was also my half birthday. Not every girl is so lucky to get to spend her half birthday doing what she loves!!  I began my day watching my 5 month old cousin, and ended it holding my “little man” who was sleeping soundly.  For the record, my little man, is the youngest of the clan I babysit.  I watch 6 little kids, from age 13  down to the 5 month old.  Me and their eldest was having “girls night” last night and I got the lucky fortune of getting some baby time in there too!   So enough chatting, as I’m dead tired and not thinking 100% clearly, and onto photos!!

I would have taken more pictures of my lil man, but it just so happens that the good camera was at home, and he was not happy unless he was being held. I do believe he is cutting some teeth!

Frostbitten

The past few days it has been almost 60 degrees around here during the day, and no frost or anything at night.  But this morning I woke up to icy beauty all around me!  The sparkle and shimmer of the grass was to much for me to pass up, and though these pictures do not do the beauty justice, here they are!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anthropologie inspired photo shoot <3

Today it was crazy nice outside.  59 at the end of January? What is this world coming too?  Well I didn’t question the weirdness while the sun was shining, I simply took advantage of the sunshine and warmth and took my siblings outside for a photo shoot.  I love to look through magazines for photography ideas (as I mentioned in my last post), and one of my favorites is Anthropologie.  I love the vintage look and glow to their photos and the way they pose their models, it is simply inspirational!!  I tried to give that vintage feel to my photos today.  Hope you enjoy

p.s. Some of these photos were taken by my sister, who is also very big into photography!

Hoping one day to get her on here for official introductions.  :)